


The Heart Knows

by cynatnite



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: All consensual including tub sex, Clint & Loki angst, Clint Angst, Clint Feels, Clint isn't in SHIELD yet, Clint sews, F/M, Food Sex, Frosthawk - Freeform, Frosthawk has food sex we don't know about, Happy ending doesn't happen for a very long time, Heavy violence at times, Loki Angst, Loki Feels, Loki likes wearing what Clint sews, Loki's not a bad guy - yet, M/M, More angst, More food sex, No non-con sex, Post Clint's circus days, Pre-Thor (2011), Slave Clint, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 14:56:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 24,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2029323
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cynatnite/pseuds/cynatnite
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been four years since Clint's days at the circus. He's broke, hungry and walking down a desolate highway until he's snatched by aliens and given over as a slave to the House of Odin where he meets an impossibly sexy prince.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Clint Barton would never know how it happened. It would take months to understand who it was. He would forever be asking himself why.

It was the middle of the night on a desolate highway. He had been cursing under his breath for allowing himself to get so far from a major city and now he was broke, homeless and hungry. Country folks weren’t interested in picking up a strange guy walking along an empty road.

Once the light appeared above him, Clint looked up and was blinded. Then there was nothing.

~*~

He was kept locked away in a dirty metallic room with only a small light overhead. Clint had yelled for answers with no luck. A small bowl of a substance similar to gruel from his orphanage days was put through the hole near the floor. It smelled horrible and tasted worse. Clint nearly vomited as he forced himself to consume the food.

Clint lost track of time. His meager belongings were gone and all he had were the dirty clothes on his back. There were no sounds other than his own breathing, the beating of his fists against the walls and the screaming from his nightmares that continually woke him.

Another bowl of food was pushed through the small doorway and this time it had a different consistency. Clint lifted it and smelled it. There was a sweet aroma and when he tasted the piece of food, it was considerably better than before. The bowl was clean in less than a minute.

Satisfied for the first time since the ordeal began, Clint leaned against the wall and rested his head. The more time passed, the drowsier he became. It was when he began to realize how difficult it was keep his head up that it occurred to him he had been drugged. Clint started to get to his feet and he was out before he hit the floor.

~*~

When he woke, it was a different room altogether. In fact it was a cell, even though much cleaner than his previous accommodations. Clint even felt different. Glancing down, he caught sight of his new attire. A beige tunic and loose fitting leather pants. He was even wearing boots. That was when Clint realized he was clean for a change. The grime that had accumulated on his body and old clothes was now gone.

He got to his feet as he took in his surroundings. The cell had one bench and he used it to sit for a moment, then stood. Clint went to the bars and couldn’t see anything. The sounds of footsteps approaching got him to push his head onto the bars in an attempt to see and when he saw armored guards headed his way, he stepped back.

The door was opened and the room filled with several guards.

“What’s going on? Where am I?”

A large guard backhanded him and Clint hit the floor.

“Silence!”

Clint was jerked to his feet and chains were applied to his wrists and neck. A muzzle was placed around his mouth. He tried to break the tight hold on him and another hard slap had him seeing stars.

The burly guard who struck him yanked on the chains. “You are in the household of Odin and soon to be in the presence of the royal family. Any misbehavior on your part will be met with the harshest of punishments.” He pulled on the chains for emphasis. “Understood, slave?”

 _Slave!_ Clint swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

The chains were tugged on and Clint had no choice but to go where he was directed. He soon found himself in a large hall filled with what he estimated to be hundreds of people. At the head was another group, one of which sat on an immaculate golden throne of sorts. He was an older man wearing an ornate helmet that testified to his status. Even having a missing eye didn’t take away from the power the king had over the entire room.

Clint was stopped behind a creature unlike anything he had ever seen in his life. It was oversized, dark plum colored etched with what he assumed were battle scars. His armor spoke of his power and Clint was ready to run from the fearsome looking thing.

“In honor of our peace accords, I present a Midgardian,” the creature said. “They are rare. This one is wild and untamed.”

Odin stood and gave a bow. “We accept, Thanos. This offering of peace will be treasured. We offer you the hospitality of our palace.”

“I accept King Odin.”

Clint watched as the one known as Odin approach Thanos. What had just happened? Was he a gift? The temptation to run away was growing by leaps and bounds as two large men approached him.

“What say you, brother?” The large blond grinned. “You have not taken a new slave to your household in quite some time.”

“I suppose I will have to. Maven has been short a kitchen slave.” He looked Clint over with disappointment. “Midgardians are frail and small creatures. Perhaps there is some use for him.”

Clint was outraged at how the tall dark headed one was talking about him. He wrenched away so hard that the chains temporarily slipped out of the guards’ hands. Before he could move a hand was around his throat, threatening to crush his windpipe. Clint was gazing at the black-haired one whose sharp blue eyes bored into his. He was frozen in fear.

“Only one warning you shall get, slave,” Loki said with lethal softness. “This is the house of Odin, the royal family of Asgard. I am Prince Loki and that is my brother, Prince Thor. You will conduct yourself as a slave is required or you will be strung up to a crossbeam and the flesh ripped from your back. Do I make myself succinct?”

He nodded and was released.

Loki motioned for his steward.

“This is Magnus. He will take to you to my household where you will be placed and instructed in your new duties. I urge you not to bring such attention to yourself again.”

Clint’s eyes went to Magnus who stood a good three inches over him. Not as tall as Loki, but still just as intimidating. His dark hazel eyes were hard and unforgiving.

“Remove his bindings.”

Before Clint could say a word, Magnus walked away and he reluctantly followed. He would have to learn a lot before he could make an escape attempt.

“What is this place?” Clint asked. “Where am I?”

Magnus halted and spun around. He grabbed Clint by the shirt and slammed him against a nearby wall.

“The royal household of Odin commands the most powerful of the Nine Realms, slave! That is all you need to know. You will not speak unless you are deigned. Remember this, slave. You could have been placed in the mines or in a brothel. Consider yourself wealthy beyond all for being a slave of the Prince Loki.”

Clint was released and Magnus turned away. He was a slave. Where was the wealth in that?

When they arrived in a wing, Magnus took Clint through a series of rooms. “These are Prince Loki’s private residence. You will be working in the kitchen. Maven has long needed a kitchen slave for cleaning. Do as she instructs or you will be lashed.”

Swallowing the hard lump in his throat, Clint followed until he was in a large kitchen where several were working. In the middle was an oversized table. An older woman was listening to Magnus and he took a moment to take in his new environment. At a far wall was a huge stove that was the largest he had ever seen in his life. Another station had a servant cleaving into meat while another was slicing what appeared to be vegetables. A sweet smell got his attention and he turned his head left where a woman was working on what appeared to be pastries.

Magnus left and Clint found himself face to face with what he assumed was the head cook, an older woman wearing a brown cap and a well-worn apron. Her hands were on her hips and she gave him an appraising look.

“Have you ever worked in a kitchen?”

“No.” She looked so fierce at him that Clint didn’t want to risk another slap to the head.

“What is your name, boy?”

“Clint Barton.”

“I am Maven. You will do as I say or you’ll feed with the dogs.” She started to turn and then changed her mind. Maven’s eyes squinted just a bit as she looked him over again. “How long since you’ve eaten?”

Clint couldn’t remember. He suddenly realized he was hungry.

“Lena!”

A young girl with a long blonde braid hurried over.

“Get this boy a plate. After he’s fed show him what to do.”

“He’s a skinny one,” Lena grinned. “How about a fruit pastry?”

“A slice of bread,” Maven instructed. “Let’s see if he’s a worker before we spoil him first.”

A few minutes later a large plate of food and a glass of water was put before him. Clint was famished and he soon ate it all. He decided he liked Lena when she gave him a smaller second helping to fill him up.

The rest of the day Clint spent learning his way about the kitchen. He was not allowed near any of the food. He was constantly cleaning up after the cooks. He washed huge pots, pans and other kitchen ware. He was shown how leftover food was reused and where to take it for use by farmers and ranchers for their herds. The work was grueling and never-ending.

At the end of the day, Lena showed Clint where he would be sleeping behind the kitchen. She also gave him a second set of clothes and instructed him where to bathe at the end of the day.


	2. Chapter 2

The life of a slave wasn’t easy, but it had its good moments when he compared it with his old life. Before he struggled to get at least one meal in a day. As a slave, he had more food than he could ever recall getting before. As grouchy as Maven could be, sometimes she’d give him an extra pastry when she felt he had worked extra hard. One time he swore he made her smile and for that he had gotten an entire pie sitting on his bed at the end of the day. There was never a lack of food.

Another positive, which almost made slavery worthwhile for Clint, is the sense of community he discovered away from the royal family and other nobility. It seemed that slaves and servants alike had their own way of doing things for one another. Of course, there was no lacking of drama with things like relationships, children and work.

As Clint grew more accustomed to life at the Asgard palace, he discovered friendship for the first time in his life. Lena was always talking about one of Prince Thor’s guards. It seems that she discovered he had a profound interest in gardening which perplexed her to no end. Clint asked Maven about someone showing her a few things. He liked Lena’s smile so much that this was one thing he knew he could do for her.

Clint expected Maven to fuss, but instead she nearly grinned and talked about her meek husband who found horticulture to be a more manly pursuit. He nearly laughed when Maven hollered for Lena and proceeded to give her advice on how to catch such a good man by way of foliage.

There was Lucia who was a seamstress and laundress. She worked across the courtyard with her husband in seeing to Prince Loki’s wardrobe along with everyone else’s. She had offered to sew his worn pants, but it was something Clint preferred to do on his own. He wound up showing her a few stitches that he had been taught in the circus. They all had to learn to care for their own costumes and such since their one and only seamstress had so little time on her hands.

The one thing that gave him second thoughts in attempting any escape was the children. Many of the servants and slaves had children within the walls of the palace. They were schooled in the mornings and the afternoons were spent doing menial tasks. On a few rainy afternoons Clint would be asked to keep them busy. He was a little kid himself at times and he would show them tricks he learned in the circus or teach them soccer with a leather ball he had made once the rain let up. These were the times he was the happiest.

He saw little of Prince Loki or any other member of the royal family which was fine by him. They were no different than the wealthy on his own world and he had little use for them.

The only one he was always wary of was Magnus. He had the ear of the royal family, Clint was told. He could end your life with but a whisper. Lena told him about a servant that had caught Loki’s eye. He was sent outside the walls for a certain kind of fruit and two days later his mauled body was discovered by hunters. Wild bilgesnipes had chased him down. Clint kept his distance as much as possible from Magnus.

~*~

Loki, prince of Asgard, had always been different than the average Asgardian. It wasn’t just his coloring or his slight stature. He had always shown more of an interest in magic and books than in the warrior-like ways of his brother and father.

Their shadows were always impossible to avoid. His only compensation was his natural abilities in the ways of magic and deceptive tricks. Loki reveled in mastering all those things that Thor felt he was above.

While his brother was the warrior who fought head on, Loki came up from behind. It worked to both their benefits when they battled and despite Thor’s dislike of Loki’s trickery and mischievousness, they would celebrate their victories together.

Tonight was a celebration of one of their latest battles and Loki found himself somewhat distracted and bored. It was reminiscent of the last feast when Thanos was a guest. Loki was suddenly reminded of storm-gray eyes piercing back at him. The fear was there, but so was the desire to fight. What had impressed him was the slave’s intelligence to know when not to fight. Loki hoped that the rebelliousness would never be completely stripped from him.

He heard a remark from the countess next to him and Loki forced his attention to her.

“Pardon, my Lady. I didn’t hear you.”

She ran her slender hands over the sleeve of his red coat. “The stitching is remarkable, My Lord Prince. I was commenting that my own seamstress wouldn’t be able to duplicate such intricate designs.”

Loki paid little attention to such things, but upon closer inspection he saw the unique work. The stitching along the inside of the sleeve was nearly invisible and the design at the cuff was not Asgardian.

“I hadn’t noticed,” Loki murmured. “Perhaps my mother’s seamstress.”

“No, my son,” Frigga told him. “This design is unique.”

Loki studied it more and at the end of the evening as he made his way to his rooms, he decided to make a point to find the source.

~*~

The following morning Loki was called away to deal with a matter in Alfheim. By the time he returned it was late and most of the servants and slaves were already abed. He wandered to the kitchen and as he got closer he heard a voice.

_Singing?_ Loki mused.

When he got to the doorway, the sight made him grin. His slave was sitting at the table sewing on a shirt as he sang.

_“62 bottles of beer on the wall._

_62 bottles of beer._

_Take one down, pass it around_

_61 bottles of beer on the wall.”_

 

“I implore you not to teach it to Volstagg. I don’t think Asgard could take it.”

Loki liked the way the slave jumped from his seat and hurried to his feet. He moved into the kitchen.

“I assume it is a Midgardian drinking tune.”

“Yes,” Clint said. A second later he added “sir.”

As Loki walked around the table he gazed into Clint’s eyes. The fear was gone. It’s in place was wariness and careful observation. This was not your average slave, he determined.

“You are called Barton.”

“Yes, sir.”

“I have inquired to Lucia who tells me you showed her a particular way of stitching my attire.”

“She gave me some thread,” Clint stupidly replied.

“Come to my chambers in the morning after you break your fast. I have new duties for you to attend, Barton.”

Loki spun on his heels and left Clint standing in the middle of the kitchen speechless.

~*~

Clint managed to hold back a yawn as he made his way to Loki’s chambers. He hadn’t slept well since the order from the prince. His mind was rampant with visions of endless tortures at the hands of Loki and Magnus.

By the time he arrived at the door, his heart was pounding. It took several deep breaths to get a handle on the rapid heartbeat and Clint finally knocked on the door.

His eyes widened when the door swung open and he was staring at a furious Magnus.

“What brings you here, slave?” Magnus demanded.

“I sent for him,” Clint heard Loki call out from the room.

Clint had to wait for Magnus to move so he could enter the room. He was pointedly nudged by the steward as he came inside. Loki was sitting on the edge of the bed and Clint watched as he raised his foot for Magnus.

After Magnus assisted him with the boots, Loki got to his feet. “Come,” he told Clint.

Feeling Magnus’ hard stare, Clint averted his eyes and kept them forward as he followed the prince across the large room.

“Magnus, see to my horse,” Loki ordered.

Loki swung open the double doors which went to another room. The baths, Clint assumed from the looks of it. A pool of sorts was sunk into the floor near a large window overlooking the mountains of Asgard. It was a stunning view that Clint was hard pressed to ignore.

He watched Loki pull on another set of doors which revealed a bedroom-sized closet. Clint couldn’t believe the amount of clothing hanging on hooks. There were drawers he assumed were also filled. Footwear of all sorts sat on shelves.

“There is a great deal here,” Loki said with a sigh. “I wear little of this, but it is required for my station. What I have worn is delicate and tears easily. Some I’ve worn for battles and require constant repair. Lucia and Thane have a heavy workload themselves. There is much to be done here.”

Clint touched one of the shirts and he noticed the worn material at the cuff.

“I must know, Barton. Can you make these repairs?”

“Can I ask Lucia for some things?”

“She will see you have whatever you require,” Loki assured him.

“How long, sir?”

“Whatever time you feel is necessary. I do not require speed.”

“I can do it, sir.”

Loki put his hands on his hips and regarded Clint with interest. “Tell me, Barton. Was this your skill on Midgard?”

“Where I worked, we had to sew our own clothes.” Clint hated to keep forgetting. “Sir.”

Loki had a slight grin. He preferred to be addressed according to his station, but with this slave he cared not so much. The effort meant more. _Strange_ , he thought. He’d normally never allow even a member of the court to forgo it.

“My library has a large table where you can work,” Loki told him. “I prefer you to work there.”

When Loki showed Clint the library he was a bit startled by the slave’s reaction. Clint’s eyes widened at the sight of the shelves of books reaching the tall ceilings.

“This is amazing!” Clint wished he could touch every one of them. “You read all of these?”

Loki grinned. No one in his household had ever shown such interest or care before. Seeing the value of books was sign of intelligence. Loki was pleased to see it in Barton. “Many of them, yes. They are reflective of the Nine Realms.”

Clint suddenly remembered where he was at and crossed the room to the table. “This will be more than enough space, sir.”

“At the end of the day you may borrow a book of your choosing. Most of these are All-Speak so you should be able to easily read them.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.”

After Loki left the room, Clint had a pleasing look on his face as he took another look around the library. He couldn’t wait until the end of the day when he would choose a book to read.

He hurried out of the room to see Lucia when he halted at the sight of Magnus who had returned. Clint stepped back as Magnus came closer to him. This was when he hated the size of the Asgardians and their superhuman strength.

“I will be watching you carefully, slave,” Magnus warned with clenched teeth.

Clint kept his mouth shut as he rushed from the room. The steward had hated him at first sight and Clint had no idea why. He debated on discussing it with Lena, but changed his mind. As much as he liked Lena and many of the others, Clint still wasn’t quite sure who to trust.

The life lessons he had learned early on told him that trust was not something easily given to anyone least of all in a strange place like Asgard.

Before seeing Lucia, Clint spoke to Maven as he helped her move several large pots to the stove for an upcoming feast. He promised to help her later and then went to see Lucia. After getting the necessary equipment and material, Clint made his way back to Loki’s chambers and then to the library.

By the end of the day Clint had repaired eight shirts. It was but a small start for a task that would take several weeks given Loki’s enormous wardrobe. As Loki permitted, Clint found a small book on one of the lower shelves about a realm called Vanaheim. He flipped through it and discovered it was filled with short stories.

Clint made his way back to the kitchen and after helping Maven he took an offered pastry then went to his small cot. After eating the treat he spent the rest of evening engrossed in his reading.


	3. Chapter 3

A thief was afoot in the palace. The grim announcement during a private meeting with Thor and Odin was foremost on Loki’s mind as he made his way back to his rooms. He’d always had his own notions on how best to rule Asgard which countered his father’s archaic ways. Loki had made plans to implement them despite Odin’s protestations, but they would have to wait.

Someone in the palace was taking Asgard technology and selling it to cutthroats on the black market. This had to be dealt with swiftly and without prejudice as soon as possible.

Loki had one simple idea on how to root them out and it would take time for it to play itself out. When he told Odin and Thor, they expressed skepticism, but with no other way of discovering the culprit they agreed.

A separate feast would be held in each of their households. Those guests who would likely be involved in such a scheme would be invited along with a few trusted souls which included Sif and the Warriors Three. By use of magic, each guest would be closely monitored.

Should a servant or slave be taking the technology, they would require the assistance of a member of court to get the procured items outside the palace walls. Their restrictions were severe enough that it made it nearly impossible for a slave or servant to commit the crime alone.

Thor and Odin both agreed that giving them an easy opportunity was their best chance at this point. All agreed it was a far from perfect plan, but at the very least it would eliminate potential suspects.

Loki found Maven in the kitchen working on the weeks’ menus.

“In a fortnight I will have a feast with approximately thirty guests.”

“For a celebration, my Lord?”

“No, just friends gathering.”

“I will see to it.”

“Where is Barton?”

“Sleeping, I believe, my Lord. Do you require his presence?”

“No.” Loki couldn’t explain why that disappointed him. “Have him trained to serve at the feast and he will need suitable attire. See to it, Maven.”

“Yes, my Lord.”

When Loki arrived in his chambers, he stripped off his clothing and started for the hot water in the sunken pool. He stopped, went to his closets and inside he discovered the repaired shirts. He was pleased to see it for reasons unknown to him. Loki would wear one tomorrow.

~*~

The best way to learn how to serve a guest for a royal Asgardian feast was to actually have a feast. That’s what Clint discovered when the table in the kitchen was prepared. Maven explained it was also good practice should there be a long spell without feast which were known to happen especially during times of war.

So, with Maven at the head of the table, Lena, Lucia, Thane and several others Clint got a crash course in serving a formal dinner. He suspected much of it was at his own expense. Maven brought out a large feather fan that had been gifted to her by Queen Frigga years ago. With every mistake, no matter how small, she would thwack his shoulder with a light Asgardian touch. That meant it stung and he was sure a bruise or two would be discovered by the time they finished.

Much to his delight, when Maven was satisfied everyone enjoyed a rare midday meal together. Clint could only hope he got through the feast without making a mistake. To do so would make Prince Loki’s household look bad and the punishment quite severe as a result.

That afternoon, Clint was back in Loki’s closet working on his wardrobe. He had organized the entire closet and grouped those items needing the most work in the back where they were likely to be ignored. Clint opened a mirrored door and on the top shelf he saw something with a rich green color to it. He used a stool to step up and take it down.

Much to his amazement, it was the most incredible material he had ever discovered. The emerald colored cloth felt incredible under his hands. Along with it was soft leather that seemed to form to his hand as he caressed it. After more searching, Clint found buckles and other gold items as well. His gaze turned to the armor on the mannequin in the corner. An idea came to mind and he nearly smiled.

Clint carried the items to the table and went to Loki’s desk. Hoping he wouldn’t be caught, he found a drawing pencil and blank parchment. He sat at the table and began to sketch. It took nearly an hour of designing, sketching it out and starting another one before it began to come together. It was just like when he designed his own costumes expect this would be more elaborate. His heart pounded in anticipation.

~*~

In the days leading up to the feast, Clint saw the household’s activities increase tenfold. His own duties had more than doubled and he was having difficulties in balancing all that was expected of him including the elaborate piece that he was sewing for Loki. More than once Clint questioned the sanity of making something for someone who was supposed to be his “owner”. But he continued on ahead despite his own internal dispute.

The guests were loud and boisterous. Clint was expected to keep goblets full with mead and wine. He watched Lena and other servants prepared the table. More than once he had to step around Magnus who seemed to always be in front of him at the most inopportune moments.

Clint had been jostled at one point and he nearly dumped an entire pitcher of mead on an elderly nobleman. It was Prince Thor who had caught him by the shoulder. Before he could say thanks, Clint’s eye caught the deadly gaze of Magnus across the room. There was something in those eyes that he couldn’t put a name to, but his gut told him what he had avoided was no near-accident.

As the feast continued, so did the merrymaking. Volstagg was telling another one of his glorious battle stories and Thor was correcting his exaggerated tales along the way. There was much raucous laughter.

Clint watched as the female servants expertly made their way around the table with the food and drink. They could dissuade the warriors and noblemen through their own humor and winks from going outside of what were acceptable. It was when Clint caught Magnus with his hand on Lena’s backside that he realized how serious it was. Rather than the teasing in her eyes, she was trying to move away without drawing attention to herself or create a scene. Lena had never said a word and he had no doubt that her boyfriend, Reif, didn’t have a clue either.

As the party wound down, many left leaving just Loki, Thor, the warriors three and several noblemen. Clint glanced at Loki and swore he saw him appraising his remaining guests for some reason. It occurred to him that Loki had mingled very little during the evening.

A gambling game began using an old wooden shield of Loki’s. Thor, Volstagg, Fandral and Sif were using knives to see how close to the center they could aim their daggers at the shield. Hogun remained an observer since his skills were unmatched. Clint’s fingers itched for a dagger. It had been forever it seemed since he had toyed with the weapon.

He ignored them as he poured ale into Sif’s goblet. He felt the grip of a hand on his elbow.

“This boy could best you, Fandral,” Volstagg boasted before taking a drink.

Clint froze with the pitcher in hand. His eyes went to Loki’s who looked rather amused by the entire scene.

“My best sword says he couldn’t even hit the shield,” Fandral shot back with a twinkle in his eye.

“Done!” Volstagg barked. He grinned at Clint. “Do it, boy! Show this princess what you’re made of.”

Without even thinking, Clint expertly flipped the dagger between his fingers and threw it by the blade at the shield. With a loud thwack it hit the exact center.

The room silenced and Loki slowly got to his feet. Everyone’s eyes went to Clint who suddenly realized what he had done.

“My lord,” Magnus said coming forward. “My apologies. It was pure luck on his part.”

Volstagg nervously laughed. “Of course it was luck. No one could hit it twice.”

Clint could. He could do it practically blindfolded only he knew no one in this room would accept it. He grimaced as Magnus grabbed him by the neck and pushed him out of the room.

When they got to the kitchen, Magnus threw Clint to the floor.

“You fool!” He glanced at the two guards at the door. “Take him to the wall.”

“Magnus!” Lena implored.

“Silence! Or you’ll be strapped next to him.” Magnus grabbed the thick leather hanging on the wall near the fireplace. “No one makes a fool of Prince Loki in his own household!”

Clint was yanked to the courtyard where his tunic was stripped from him and his wrists were chained to the wall. When the first lash it, he grimaced loudly. Clint made the conscious decision not to make another sound as the leather continued to mark his back.

His skin was on fire and Clint squeezed his eyes shut when he heard Mavis yelling.

“Magnus! Stop!”

The next thing he felt was the chains being unlocked and he almost hit the ground. Clint eased back and took several deep breaths.

“Am I bleeding?” he asked trying to hold back the tears.

“You will bruise,” Maven told him. “I have liniment that will ease your pain.”

Clint nodded and covered his eyes. “I want to kill him.”

“Shhh,” Lena urged him. “You must keep your voice low.”

He raised his eyes and looked at Lena. “He’ll come after you, Lena. You have to find a way out of here.”

“I will have Reif’s protection soon,” Lena explained. “We are promised to one another. Prince Thor has already given his blessing for our union.”

That much was a relief to Clint although it wouldn’t solve the immediate problem of Magnus.

Maven helped Clint to his feet and brought him to the kitchen. She applied the liniment to his back and it did help alleviate the pain enough that he could wear his tunic. Rather than going back to the feast, Clint headed for the courtyard.

He looked up at the stars and wondered about his own world. There was no sign of the expected constellations and Clint had long ago accepted that he was far removed from Earth. Clint’s best guess was he had been taken several months ago. He’d likely have had a birthday and was now twenty-two years old.

Clint heard a noise and turned. Prince Loki stood not far from him. He wore a stark white shirt with his long black overcoat. As he moved closer, it made him look predatory and so fucking sexy that Clint wished he could drag the Prince to a bed and have his way. Clint shifted from one foot to the other in hopes of assuaging his growing erection.

He wanted to be angry at Loki. Hell, he should be after what Magnus did. It just wasn’t in him. Instead, Clint lowered his eyes at Loki’s approach.

Loki carried the old shield to the stone wall and propped it up. He went to Clint.

“Can you do it again?”

“No, sir.”

“You are a poor liar indeed.” Loki brought forth a dagger with the wave of his hand and held it out to Clint.

Clint took it. “Sir.”

“Do it,” Loki softly commanded. “If you miss, I’ll know it was done purposefully.”

It was a half-hearted throw, but the dagger found the center of the shield nonetheless. He watched Loki go to the shield, pull out the weapon and inspect the mark it made.

“I will assume you learned other such skills.”

Clint nodded. “I’m better with a bow and arrow.”

“Tailoring and archery. A strange combination indeed.”

A moment of silence passed and Clint realized that Loki was expecting an answer.

“After my brother and I ran away from an orphanage, we found ourselves in a circus. I was trained as an archer and an aerialist. We sewed our own costumes.”

“What is a circus?” Loki asked as he strolled back to Clint.

“A show or a series of shows. We traveled from place to place, performed tricks and daring feats. Barney and I stayed with them for almost ten years.”

“And you left?”

Clint nodded. The last part was the worst. “My mentor stole from the circus. I caught him and my brother with the money. I wouldn’t go with them and when I threatened to turn them in if they didn’t give it back, they beat me and left me for dead. That was almost five years ago, I think. I haven’t seen my brother since.”

Loki arched an eyebrow. “And yet you chose to say nothing of your abilities.”

Not hiding his animosity, Clint said, “Where I come from people like me aren’t supposed to be able to do what I can do. Seems like this place isn’t any different.”

“It is perhaps the only time I can recall seeing Volstagg and Fandral both at a loss for words.” Loki said with such an endearing sarcastic smile that Clint wished he could kiss him. “You will be rewarded.”

Rewarded? He had just gotten flogged by Magnus for what he did.

“Hogun has offered to train you. You will spend your mornings at his private training grounds. He will gage the depth of your skills.”

“Maven needs me in the kitchen.”

“You will no longer work in the kitchen. Someone else will see to it.” Loki moved closer to Clint. “I will see to it that you reach your full potential.”

Loki was so close that Clint could almost smell his essence. The lure of him wound its way to his core and he clenched his fists to keep from pulling the prince to his body.

“Sir,” Clint said in a low voice.

“Damn,” Loki ground out. He grabbed Clint’s arms and moved his body to his.

There was no hesitation as their lips met searching, wanting and needing. The heat was building as they continued exploring each other with mutual desire. Loki had never wanted anyone more and he was pleased to have someone who was willing to meet him on equal ground. Not just anyone…this man who too many saw as a boy.

Loki pulled Clint closer to him and their kiss intensified. Loki was so lost in the moment that he was nearly unaware that he was wrapping his arms around Clint. It was when he felt the body flinch that the kiss was suddenly broken. He stepped back and realized Clint had done it out of pain.

He turned Clint around and raised his shirt.

“Sir, it’s fine.”

Loki’s blood began to boil when he saw the lash marks and the bruising beginning to grow across the smooth skin. Seeing Clint’s back marred in such a horrendous way had his rage exploding.

He strode out of the courtyard unmindful of Clint trailing behind him. All Loki saw was red as he marched through the kitchen, another room and then the dining hall where the feast was continuing.

As soon as he saw Magnus, Loki pushed through the Warriors Three and never even heard Thor saying his name. He grabbed onto Magnus’ neck with a tight grip, pushed him until they got to a wall and he slammed him as hard as he could against it.

“You touch him again and I will rip the flesh from your back strip by strip until there is nothing left. The dogs will quench their thirst with your blood as you hang from the stone wall. Have I made myself clear?”

The words were spoken with such lethality and venom that no one would dare raise Loki’s ire in such a way ever again. Magnus was quaking in fear and there was no doubt as to who Loki was referring to. His nod was weak. Before Magnus could speak, Loki shoved him away in contempt and without breaking his stride he left the silent room.

The feast was over.


	4. Chapter 4

Loki was engrossed in his own convoluted thoughts when he heard the door to his chambers open. If he heard Magnus’ voice, he was sure to commit violence against the steward. Just thinking about the marring of Clint’s back was enough to keep his blood boiling.

“My Lord,” Lena gently inquired.

“Have Barton moved to the servant’s quarters. Inform Maven to choose someone to take his place.”

“Yes, my Lord. Prince Thor is asking for you, my Lord.”

He nodded and before she could leave, Loki said her name. “Lena…”

She understood all too well. “Maven has already seen to his care.”

When she left, Loki removed the gauntlets from his forearms as Thor entered the room.

“Loki, brother.”

“I suppose my scene in the dining hall will be the talk of Asgard.”

Thor grimly smiled. “It will surely not be forgotten.”

Loki sighed heavily. “How could I ever come so undone?”

“I do not know, brother. After all, he is only a slave.”

“Only a slave?” Loki looked at Thor with disbelief. “He has lived a horrendous life even before being brought to Asgard. Despite being the lowest of the low, he plays games with the children, reads voraciously and manages to find time to help Thane in the courtyard. All of this in addition to his required duties.”

Seeing Thor’s knowing smile, Loki shook his head. “Barton has somehow managed to retain qualities we only hope to see in others despite all that he’s suffered, brother. How can that be?”

“Perhaps those things are what helped him survive. I was going to scold you for your display, but I think it’s not needed. I like seeing you care about someone.”

“He is a slave, Thor. It is not done.”

“Since when does Loki, a prince of Asgard, conform to convention?” Thor asked with a sardonic grin.

“Father can free him if he proves himself valiant. I will lay the path before him.”

“Loki, Father rarely deems anyone worthy let alone a slave.”

“You saw him. His aim was not luck, Thor. I’ve already spoken to Hogun. He will help further Barton’s skills.”

“You seek to put him in battle.”

“I loathe it, but it’s his only chance at freedom, brother.”

“And if he somehow gains his freedom? What then? What if he chooses Midgard?”

Loki stilled. He felt an indescribable pain in his chest. “He would be free. I would have no choice but to abide by his wishes.” _Unless I went with him_ , Loki silently added.

~*~

Every chance Clint got before taken from Earth, he would go to the movies. It was the only escape he had from the hard life he was living. His first choice was always a martial arts movie. Not just because of being trained with a few weapons, but also the sense of honor that was conveyed. He wasn’t going to be a thief, a cheater or anything like the numerous underhanded schemes he had seen played out in his young life. Clint also loved the fighting. He had nearly broken his hand at trying to copy a move one time.

These movies were foremost on his mind when he arrived at Hogun’s private training grounds. An open field with faraway targets stood on one end and in another part was what appeared to be a hand-to-hand training area with sawdust covering the ground.

In another part of the grounds was a stone building and inside he found Hogun waiting for him. Suddenly he felt like Danial-san in The Karate Kid. Clint chastised himself. He shouldn’t have watched so many of these movies.

Hogun handed Clint a sword. “Here.”

He followed Hogun to the middle of the room with the sword in hand. In the space of thirty minutes Hogun disarmed him at least a dozen times. The warrior appeared disappointed and took the weapon from him.

Then Hogun took him outside to another training area. The sawdust felt strange under his boots. Clint was then thrown to his back more times than he could count. He was getting angry at being tossed around like a rag doll.

Finally, Hogen stepped back as Clint got to his feet. “You have poor skills.”

“Of course, I do with this stuff,” Clint ground out. He put his hands on his hips. “I never learned anything about swords or hand-to-hand fighting.”

“What did you learn?”

Clint eyed a bow and a quiver of arrows on a table filled with weapons. “Can I?”

Hogun nodded.

Nervous still, Clint lifted the bow and stretched it out. It was tight, but he’d make do. He slung the quiver across his back and took position. Clint began with one arrow and in quick succession fired off several at a target without missing a beat. Seeing them all hitting the center, he proudly grinned and turned only to find Hogun next to him with a blade at his jugular.

“Impressive,” Hogun declared with a thin smile. “Only you would die quickly because you take too much pride in hitting what’s in front of you.” Hogun stepped back. “As I said, you have poor skills.”

~*~

The change in Clint’s duties meant that his entire day had to adhere to a strict schedule. During his time in the kitchen he had the freedom to move about, vary his activities and help just about whenever he was asked.

Now, he got up early in the morning, stopped in the kitchen where Maven would offer him a roll for breakfast and then he’d head for the training grounds. It was outside the walls of the palace in the back. It offered privacy for the warriors of Asgard. The spiraling turrets seemed to lift forever into the sky and behind the grounds in the far off distance were the snowcapped mountains. It was a beautiful view and Clint loved every moment he could spend in the outdoors away from the confines of the palace.

Clint assumed all he would be taught were the ways of fighting and the use of weapons. While he was trained in the use of swords, hand-to-hand fighting, spears and other such things, Hogan also showed him meditations and other methods to learn patience and how to calm his mind.

When he finished with training, he would hurry back to the palace and clean up before heading to Loki’s chambers to work on his wardrobe and the elegant outfit that he had started weeks ago. Clint estimated it would take another month of work before it was complete.

He kept it hidden in a small closet in another room that was used for storage. Clint had borrowed a mannequin from Lucia and she had been helpful in finding used gauntlets and other pieces of armor to use. He had spent hours cleaning on the items until they sparkled as though they were new. Lucia had assured Clint no one would tell the difference. He had been reluctant to tell her exactly what he was doing, but he suspected she had an idea when she presented him with gold metallic beading for the edging.

It was a complex piece of wardrobe and Clint was already having second thoughts. Loki would likely require help dressing, but one of the footmen usually assisted him anyway. A large buckle was positioned in the front. Attached to it were two belts that were buckled to the inside of the long coat. Another long strap with a gold plated armor piece across it stretched in front of the costume was belted into the buckle.

Clint had initially planned on military style epaulettes on the shoulders, but his first attempt at it destroyed the entire look. They would look out of place not to mention plain silly. Clint had taken the left one off out of frustration, but when he looked at the one still on the right, he had an idea. He got the spare pieces of armor and replaced the epaulette, then used the wide leather piece to put them in place.

When Clint stepped back he nearly smiled. It was exactly how he imagined it in his head. Hell, it was better. He spent the rest of the afternoon sewing it into place. He had started off with the intention of just a long coat for Loki, but it became more elaborate with clothing under it and pants to match. Clint wanted it to have his own stamp on it, but it till needed to be primarily an Asgardian look and added more layers to complete the ensemble.

_Loki, of Asgard, would look quite the god when it was finished_ , Clint thought with a slight grin.

As the time for completion got closer, Clint suddenly realized that he had to find a way to present it to Loki. Did they have birthdays? Holidays?

Clint got his answer when he asked Hogun about traditional gift-giving on Asgard.

“Have you not felt the chill in the air, Barton?”

“Yes,” Clint answered. He set the bow down. “I planned to ask Lena about warmer clothes.”

“The days before the winter season are called ‘Winter Nights’. A celebration of the new solstice will begin soon. The giving of gifts to warm the hearts through the cold nights is customary by some. It would not be unseemly for you to offer one during this time.”

“Thanks, Hogun.”

When Clint got to the kitchen, Maven sat him down and fed him a good lunch while she complained about the newest kitchen help. It turned out an orphaned boy had been sent and she hadn’t the heart to turn him away. Clint offered to show him the ropes and Maven handed him a second pastry.

Clint cleaned up and his first stop was the storage closet where he found the mannequin. He was about to begin work when Clint began to closely inspect it from neck to floor. Then it hit him. Clint stepped back looking at it in wonder.

“Shit. I’m finished.”

There was nothing left to do. It was complete. Clint’s heart was rapidly pounding at the thought of gifting it to Loki. What if he hated it? What if he lied about liking it and then hung it in his closet forgotten like the other countless clothes adorning it?

He was suddenly scared that perhaps he had overstepped his bounds this time. Clint took a sheet from a box and covered up the mannequin. He had to get his head together before making his next move. He needed to ask someone what to do.

~*~

Several days passed with the gift being foremost in Clint’s mind. He imagined several scenarios of handing the gift to Loki and none of them ended well at all. The winds from the mountains were growing colder and the Winter Night celebration was coming.

Clint learned it was the one night when all of Asgard celebrated, nobility, working class, servants and slaves alike feasted together. The closer it came the more excited everyone got. It reminded him of the Christmases he had seen back on Earth. He couldn’t remember a good one except the time when the seamstress from the circus had given him a remote control car. He’d only had it a few days when Barney took it and he never saw it again.

After that Clint never gave nor did he expect a gift in return. It was one of the first of many hard lessons he had learned in life. That was when it hit him. Why should he let his no good brother ruin everything for him? He made this specifically for Loki. Why not give it and hope for the best.

He hurried to Loki’s room and found the small closet. Clint went to the sheet covered mannequin and pulled off the white cloth. What he saw next made his heart nearly stop.

The outfit was gone.

~*~

For a moment Clint couldn’t breathe. He stepped back in disbelief and rubbed his eyes. It was gone. It was truly gone. His eyes moved about the small closet in a panic. Clint yanked on a couple of boxes and pulled off the lids. Nothing.

He ran out across Loki’s chambers into the bathing room. Clint flung open the double doors to the closet and searched through everything. Still nothing.

Before leaving he made sure every item was back in place.

He couldn’t imagine where to look next. Then it hit him. Someone took it. Any number of people came through Loki’s rooms. They could have found it and taken it. He’d heard stories of a black market running rampant on Asgard. Maybe it was sold. Maybe whoever took it liked it so much that they kept it for themselves.

Clint rushed out of the closet and then to Loki’s main living area. He had to think. The door opened and Loki came in with Magnus behind him.

“Barton?” Loki questioned.

“Sir…” Clint was going to ask him if he’d gone into that closet, but stopped. What was he going to say without sounding accusatory?

Clint glanced at Magnus. The steward hadn’t spoken a word to him since that night at Loki’s feast. In fact, he had avoided Clint since.

“What is it, Barton?”

“Nothing, sir.”

Clint left feeling lower than ever. All his work had vanished into thin air and there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. There was no one he could tell. One word and he could be branded a thief for taking the material in the first place. The punishment thieves received in Asgard was swift and severe. His flogging would be a hand slap in comparison.

~*~

The night of the Winter Nights feast finally arrived. The large hall was filled to capacity with all classes of Asgardians from the finest nobility to the lowliest slave. It was the rare moment when King Odin and Queen Frigga allowed all walks of Asgard to be presented to them no matter their station.

Several long tables were dressed with food and drink of all kinds. Music added to the festive atmosphere and there was much dancing as well.

Clint watched it all from the sidelines as he held a goblet of mead in his hand. His eyes skimmed the crowd wondering if he would spot the stolen outfit on someone. There was nothing that could be done either way. His heart continued to sink at the very thought of his work going to waste on someone who didn’t deserve it or knew how to wear it properly. The notion depressed him so much that it wasn’t in him to join in the festivities.

“Barton.”

Clint turned and he tried to smile at Loki, but froze. Prince Loki was wearing the very thing he had made. He had taken it and not said a word to him? Why?

Loki looked outright princely in the outfit. It formed to him and accentuated to his body in all the ways that Clint loved. The emerald color sharpened his eyes and added to the richness of his black hair. It spoke of royalty and Asgardian power…all those things that Clint saw in Loki.

His blood heated as his eyes gazed over Loki from head to toe. When he raised his eyes he saw Magnus coming up behind the prince. That was when Clint knew. The bastard had stolen the outfit and presented it to Loki as his own. The triumph was in his eyes. Clint clenched his fists ready to kill him.

“You should present yourself to my father and mother,” Loki was saying. “I’ve told Father of how much you’ve progressed since coming to Asgard.”

“Yes, sir.” Clint steadied his breathing and let his eyes flicker down for a second. That was when he saw it. One of the straps wasn’t correctly attached to the long coat. The material was bunching at the bottom. It was enough of a distraction.

“One moment, sir.” Clint wasn’t going to let it pass. He crouched down and took a few seconds to make the adjustment. He ran his fingers along the leather to smooth the creases.

“What is it?” Loki asked.

Clint rose. “Nothing sir. It was just caught.”

“Will you allow yourself to be presented? Afterwards we can perhaps…”

“Your majesty,” Magnus interrupted. “The House of Idunn is expecting you and Prince Thor to make an appearance in their hall shortly.”

Loki appeared unhappy with the reminder and for a second Clint thought he’d tell Magnus to fuck off. At least that’s what he hoped to hear.

“Yes, of course.” Loki stepped closer to Clint. “I will see you later.”

Clint watched him leave and was ready to follow when Magnus looked over his shoulder at him. The twisted delight in the steward’s eyes was enough to have Clint ready to strangle him. Instead, he left the hall eager to be alone.

Given the huge crowds overwhelming the palace Clint only had one place in mind.

Once at Hogun’s training grounds he went to the back of the stone building and sat on the small stool. The cold wind bit through his overcoat and he wrapped it tighter around him.

Clint was pissed at himself for allowing a tear to escape when he thought about Magnus taking credit for the outfit he had made for Loki. He couldn’t let it get to him. He just couldn’t.

“Fucking bastard!” Clint bit out.

He wasn’t sure how long he sat, but it had to have been a while. When his fingers began to grow numb, Clint decided it was time to head back. He halted in his tracks at seeing Magnus approaching.

“What do you want?”

Clint was no longer afraid of him nor was he going to hide his hatred for the steward.

“Is it clear now where you stand in the house of Odin, slave?”

“At least I’m not a thief and liar.”

Magnus only laughed. “It matters not. I have more power as steward than most nobility in all of Asgard.”

“As long as you keep your fucking hands off me,” Clint reminded him. “I bet even the dogs would puke on your blood.”

Magnus’ mouth tightened and he stepped forward. “Say what you will, boy. It matters not to anyone because you are nothing. You are a slave with only the power to grovel and pray that you don’t find yourself on the auction block once your usefulness has run its course.”

“I’m not afraid of you.”

“Stupid boy,” Magnus muttered. “Yes, I took what you made and claimed it as my own. I gave it to Prince Loki to regain my place in his good graces. My position as steward assures the freedom to do as I please.” He moved around Clint and relished his next words. “You stole the material. No matter your intent, it was not yours to take and thieves are as unforgiven as are child rapists and murderers. You would find yourself in the mines with the worst criminals Asgard has ever confined. You would not survive a winter.”

Satisfied with Clint’s dark silence, Magnus thinly smiled. “You are to stay as far away from Prince Loki as possible. You will make all attempts to avoid his presence and speak no words to him. While I cannot change the duties he has given you, I will ensure your distance from him.”

“Why are you doing this?” Clint roughly asked betraying how deeply it hurt. “I’ve never done anything to you.”

“I will not have you taint my good prince or his family with your dirt, your lowly ways or your infantile notions. Prince Loki is in line for the throne of Asgard and no one such as you will disgrace him or the house of Odin. If you get in my way, slave, I will see to your destruction.”

Clint watched Magnus turn away with his cape billowing in the wind and headed back to the palace. Once he was gone, Clint finally lost it and roared his frustration into the winter night. He collapsed to his knees and lowered his head feeling more powerless than he ever had in his entire life.


	5. Chapter 5

Asgardian winters were known for their unforgiving nature. As a result, Clint’s training was folded in with Asgard warriors where much of it was spent in the large indoor arena. Other days, winter training meant long marches and sparing in the frigid cold.

Clint wasn’t surprised when he heard the remarks about his Midgardian frailty. He was angry enough at Magnus that he wasn’t going to let it beat him. He managed to earn the respect of nearly every Asgard warrior with more than just his tenacity.

What he lacked in size and strength, Clint made up for it in speed and agility. His aim was deadly and widely admired. Hogun taught Clint how to beat an opponent by using their weight against them. As time wore on, Clint became a near expert on the use of a variety of weapons.

It was all he had most days. Loki’s wardrobe had mostly been repaired and since the orphan boy, Einar, had taken his place Clint’s duties now were to train with Hogun and the Asgard warriors.

_It was just as well_ , he thought. Magnus had made it clear what would happen to him if he didn’t keep his distance from Loki. Days would go by without seeing Loki, but once Clint caught sight of him he would move off in another direction and pretend he never even saw him.

Clint had thought he was being successful until early one morning he was on his way out to the arena. He was crossing the courtyard when Loki met him halfway. Clint was thrown by the emerald leather long coat. It was the same one he had made for the prince only the buckles and armor had been removed. He remembered he had designed it so that the pieces could be separated if Loki chose.

“You have been avoiding me,” Loki told him.

Clint wished he could tear his eyes away, but Loki looked magnificent in his green with his sharp eyes piercing into him.

“It’s…I have been training with Hogun and a squad of warriors.”

“You’ve always been a poor liar, Barton.”

“I wish I could acquire the taste for it.” Suddenly Clint felt so Asgardian and he hated himself for it.

“Would it not be simpler for you to be who you are?”

“A slave?”

Loki’s breath caught in his throat and for a moment he felt sick. “Stop it. In your heart, you’ve never been a slave. Nor in mine.”

“It’s past time we just accept who we are and our place here.”

“What are you talking about, Barton?”

Clint swallowed the hard lump in his throat and the notion of talking like an Asgardian left him. “It means exactly what I said…Prince Loki.”

Seeing the hurt crossing Loki’s face, Clint couldn’t take it anymore. He strode away and escaped the confines of the palace as quickly as he could.

~*~

It was a short winter for Asgard. Spring quickly came and frozen waters melted bringing with it an annual glut of fish. During this time it became the main source of food for natives of Asgard while the wild game of Asgard replenished their herds by way of birthing calves and fawns.

Loki continued to observe Clint from a distance and he took great interest in his daily activities. He was glad to hear that Clint was learning to fish and track game. It was one such day when he spotted Clint on the training field besting Fandral much to Volstagg’s amusement.

“Thor,” Loki said. “Hogun tells me that Barton is learning to track game. Perhaps you should take him hunting one day.”

“Tis early yet,” Thor said as he watched Magnus fill two goblets with ale. He carried one to Loki and handed it over. “Many are still calving in the Eastern forests.”

“It would benefit his training.”

“You should discuss it with him,” Thor suggested before taking a drink.

“No.” Loki walked away from the balcony and took a seat. He toyed with the leather on the corner of his emerald long coat. “Our-,” Loki paused for a moment to search for the right word. “Association has ended.”

Thor glanced at Magnus and waved him out of the room. Once the steward was gone, Thor went to sit across from his brother. “What happened? I thought…”

“I am at a loss, brother. Barton believes our stations should prevent it.” Loki ran his finger along the gold beading. “He was most clear on the matter.”

“I am truly sorry, Loki.”

The memory of Clint’s hands along his coat, smoothing the creases from the leather came back to Loki. He almost smiled at Clint’s meticulous care. “I do not wish to discuss it more, brother.”

“As you wish. Perhaps in time Barton will rethink the matter.”

Loki didn’t dare hope.

~*~

Clint was glad to see the warmer weather. It had been a harsh and difficult winter for too many reasons. Just like the rest of the warriors, training in such harsh conditions hadn’t been easy. Keeping away from Loki had been the hardest thing he had ever done and that included the rough training. His heart ached just thinking about it.

He set the bow and quiver in the weapons cabinet. It had been gift from one of the higher ranking Asgardian warriors after a sparring session. Clint was still amazed that the gruff soldier had taken the loss so well.

When he heard quick steps, Clint turned to see Einar, Maven’s kitchen boy, hurrying over. He appeared no older than thirteen and Clint always had to correct himself by adding Earth years to the number. Asgardians aged much differently than humans so it was always confusing. Einar was still a typical boy by human standards.

“I bring a request from Maven.”

“What is it, Einar?”

“She requires three methestos fruit from the south orchard.”

“When?”

“Now. She asked for you to get them.”

Clint stared at the boy’s wide eyes. He was still breathing hard. Something was bugging Clint, but he couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Fine. I’ll be back by evening meal.”

After Einar left, Clint was about to head out for the fruit and stopped in his tracks. He went back to the cabinet and took a dagger from the shelf. He shoved it in his boot and then grabbed onto sword. Clint strapped it to his waist and let the long blade hang low from his hip. He had no idea what to expect since he had never ventured so far from the palace before.

~*~

Maven gave Einar a cross look as he slowly ventured into the kitchen. “Where have you been, Einar? You missed the midday meal and we must ready for another feast.”

“Aina got a new puppy. I stopped to play with her.” Einar sat at the table and took the cookie that Maven was offering him.

“You will help me make the breads when you’ve finished your studies.”

Einar nodded. “Clint said he will bring your fruit before the evening meal.”

When he turned to leave, Maven put her hands on her ample hips. “What fruit?”

“The methestos,” Einar said while he munched on the cookie. “You wanted three.”

“Who told him this?”

“I did. One of the guards told me to find Clint for you so he could get you the fruit.”

“I never…” It took Maven a second to understand and then she stepped close to Einar. “The south orchard?”

Einar nodded and Maven ran out of the kitchen in search of Loki and instead found Lena cleaning. Once she relayed what the boy had told her, Lena bolted from the hall.

~*~

The discussion of the thief continued to plague both Odin and his sons. They had spent much time trying to learn of the identity of the culprit and how he or she was getting the stolen technology out of the palace without being seen. It was proving to be a far more difficult task than any had anticipated.

Loki and Thor left their father after such a meeting and began talking amongst themselves. They were halted when they heard the running coming up behind them.

Lena slid to a halt stopping in front of the princes. The panic was in her eyes.

“Lena, what is it?” Thor asked.

“It’s Clint!”

Loki froze when she said it. “What happened?”

“My Lord, he went to the south orchard!”

“Are you certain of this?” Thor demanded.

“Yes, my Lord. He’s been gone since midday meal.”

Thor looked at Loki. “Bilgesnipes will have calves in that field.”

“We might catch him before he gets there if we hurry,” Loki replied.

The princes hurried out of the hall to the stables where they took their horses and ordered four guards to follow. The small contingent raced on horseback in hopes of getting to Clint before it was too late.

~*~

Clint arrived at the orchard by horseback and slowly slid to the ground. His eyes went to the trees holding the round amethyst looking fruit. Just behind the several trees was a small hill that he couldn’t see beyond.

He took hold of the reins of the horse and headed for the closest tree. Clint realized he would need to climb in order to get to the fruit. After giving the horse another pat, he went to the tree and grabbed onto the lowest limb. With the circus flair of an aerialist, he got to the large fruit easily enough.

Clint laid his body lengthways across the branch and balanced himself so he could use his dagger to cut the fruit at the stem. He was able to pull himself back and make his way down to the ground.

As Clint was putting the fruit in the bag tied to the horse’s saddle, she whinnied and jerked her head back and forth. He went to the nose and soothed her by sliding his hand along her neck.

“Easy, girl.”

The horse suddenly reared and broke away. Clint ran only a few steps then realized there was no catching her as she stormed across the field. He turned around and stopped at the sight of a smaller animal.

It appeared to be a calf and Clint wasn’t sure about moving, but it moved closer to him. Its height reached his waistline and its black fir was as shiny as liquid. It had two small antlers signifying its youth.

As it approached, Clint kept still and after a sniff it nudged him just a bit. He smiled a little. “Easy there, sport. I’m a friend.”

The animal appeared so innocent that Clint slowly reached over and touched it along its moist nose. It screeched a sound and Clint couldn’t be sure if it was out of fear or friendliness.

It was when he heard much larger and heavier steps that he realized he should have looked for the momma.

“Fuck,” Clint cursed under his breath.

He looked up and several feet away were the largest ugliest creature he had ever seen in his life. Thick black scales covered its body, the barbed antlers brought the animal’s height to nearly nine feet tall and when it roared at Clint, thick spit was spewed everywhere. Clint felt it land on him. He most certainly didn’t miss the sharp teeth as it conveyed its discontent with Clint’s presence.

There was no doubt in how much trouble he was in at this very moment. His horse had run away at sensing the danger. This thing was going to charge him the second he tried to run. Clint slowly moved his hand to the sword and eased it from its sheath.

“I’m not here to hurt you or your baby.” Clint knew it was likely foolish, but he could only hope that somehow he was communicating his harmless intentions.

The creature roared a second time before charging. Clint bent his legs and raised his sword ready to take the thing down. Just before the animal got to him, Clint stepped aside and swiped the blade along its side in hoping to slow its warpath.

It rushed past him and halted before turning around. At seeing no damage to the animal’s scale covered skin, Clint had no doubts he was a dead man at this point. The thing charged him once again with a deadly roar and Clint bolted.

He didn’t get far when it hit him with its sharp antlers. Clint yelled loudly as he felt his skin tear open and it was when he opened his eyes that he realized he was flying through the air. The wind was knocked from him when he hit the ground.

Clint’s sword now lay several feet from him and when he saw the animal coming at him again, he slipped the dagger from his boot. He rolled to his back and as the animal ran over him, he took the blade to its underside and got several deep cuts into it. The underside of the beast didn’t have the scaling the outer body did which worked to his benefit.

It temporarily slowed it down and with the blood dripping out of it, Clint knew that if he didn’t take the beast down he wouldn’t survive another pass. It ran at him again, but before it touched him a hammer hit it on the side of the head and knocked it to its back.

Clint was covered in blood and sweat. When he looked up he saw Loki running towards him as Thor caught the hammer’s return. He laid his head back in relief.

Loki helped Clint sit up in an attempt to inspect his wounds despite the blood soaked tunic. He had no idea how much of it was Clint’s blood or the brutal animal that had nearly killed him. “You need a healer.”

Thor glanced over his shoulder. “The bilgesnipe is mortally wounded. I must see to it.”

“I’ll take care of Barton,” Loki told him.

While Thor saw to the wounded animal, Clint looked up at Loki in wonder. “You came after me.”

Loki pulled Clint into his arms as he realized how close he came to losing him. “I always will.”


	6. Chapter 6

It was late into the night when Queen Frigga exited the healing room where Loki and Thor awaited news regarding Clint’s condition. She saw the concern in Thor’s eyes, but in Loki’s she saw fear and caring. Frigga took his hand. 

“He is a strong Midgardian. His wounds will be healed before the sun rises.”

Loki had felt like he had been holding his breath forever as he let it out. “Thank the Norns.”

He gave Thor a relieved smile and turned to his mother. “May I see him?”

“He’s resting, son.” She kept hold of his hand. “Come, Loki. Let us walk for a bit.”

Frigga took him to her private gardens and as they strolled along the paths, she pulled him close. “Tell me about this Clint Barton.”

“I have told you about him.”

“You told me as one who lords over his household. I wish to know from the one who cares so deeply for him.”

Loki stopped and gazed into her eyes. “He has perplexed me from the first moment I saw him.”

“How so?”

“When he was brought to court, his rage was so sudden that he literally pulled the chains from the guards. I saw fear, curiosity, fury, and intelligence in his eyes.”

“And?”

“Asgard custom deemed him a slave, but not in his heart. In the short time he has been here, Mother, Barton has managed to enthrall everyone with his kindness and generosity.”

“This surprises you.”

“Barton had a difficult life as a child before coming here. Thor believes these things helped him survive which is why it remains so strong.”

“Loki, I can see the love in your eyes for him, but you have yet to speak of your own feelings for him.”

Loki pulled away and turned towards bright burgundy flower with gold flecks. He reached out to touch it, but lowered his hand. “Does Father still wish to unite Asgard with one of the lower realms?”

“Yes.”

“Will he do so by marriage?”

“I do not know, Loki. Your father will not force you into a loveless marriage against your will.”

“Father is first and foremost King of Asgard. He will always seek to strengthen Asgard and retain its glory. Even your marriage to him was for such purposes, Mother.”

Frigga raised her chin and looked Loki squarely in the eye. “The marriage to your father was for the sake of peace. I will not shroud the truth from you, my son. Your father and I were fortunate to find love between us. You will not be forced to give up your love for the sake of Asgard. I give my word, Loki.”

He knew she believed it, but Loki had his doubts. He’d watched his father’s political prowess his entire life. 

“I wish the words were within me to express the depth of my affection for him, Mother.”

Frigga took his hands in hers. “You both are fortunate to have found one another.”

He took her into his arms and closed his eyes. Loki promised himself he’d never lose Clint again. 

~*~

Clint opened his eyes to an unrecognizable room then he remembered what happened. A wild animal had nearly ripped him apart. He looked around and saw Loki sitting in a chair near the bed. He tried to talk, but his mouth was dry. 

Loki got a cup of water and helped Clint drink it down. “Better?”

“Yeah,” Clint answered. He relaxed against the pillow. “How long have I been here?”

“Nearly two days,” Loki answered. “It took some time for your injuries to be healed.”

“Healed?” Clint lifted his shirt and looked. There were only a few small lines where the antlers had dug into his flesh. 

“In another day you won’t find any evidence of your wounds,” Loki explained. “Mortal bodies are easily repaired.”

“Good to know.” Clint shifted in bed and moved to a sitting position. “I don’t recognize this room.”

“The healing rooms are through that door,” Loki nodded towards them. “You were brought here to rest until you were able to leave.”

“So, I can leave?”

“Yes.”

Clint slung his legs to the side of the bed and scooted to the edge while Loki retrieved his boots. When he was fully dressed, he got to his feet and when he swayed just a bit, Loki was there to steady him. 

His hand grabbed onto Loki’s sleeve. “Thanks.”

Loki wanted to lean into Clint, wrap his arms around him and keep him close. “There is a private entrance to my rooms that leads from here.”

As Clint followed him he was amazed at the speed of his healing. On Earth, it would take weeks at the very least to recover from the sort of injuries he had sustained. 

The private hallway led to other corridors and they passed several doors along the way.

“How did you know?”

“As best we can discover, a guard relayed a message from Maven to Einar. She never sent it in the first place and Einar is still not familiar with many of the guards here at the palace.”

Clint kept his own thoughts to himself. The entire incident had Magnus’ fingerprints all over it. He couldn’t imagine why the steward would go to such lengths even though Clint had kept his distance as ordered. Magnus had now made an attempt on his life and there was no doubt it wouldn’t be the last. 

“Don’t blame the kid, sir. It was just a mistake.”

Loki stopped and turned, but said nothing. He gave Clint a nod and pushed open the heavy door until it opened enough for them to step through. 

When Clint found himself in the same closet where he had hid the mannequin, he was stunned. He took a moment to glance around as Loki moved away. That was when he cussed low enough so that only he heard it. 

“Motherfucker.” This explained how Magnus was able to secret away Loki’s gift without being seen. 

He forced the unwanted thought away and followed Loki into his chambers until they stopped in the bathing room. 

Clint stilled as Loki came close to him and slid the tunic off of him. 

“You are putrid, Barton. Into the bath you go,” Loki said with a bit of a smirk.

Before Loki could walk away, Clint stopped him by taking a hold of his shirt then with a teasing grin said, “I will if you will.”

He pulled Loki over and took off his shirt.

When both were nude, they sunk into the hot water. Loki took the bar of soap and ran it across Clint’s back fascinated by the smooth skin under his hand. When he finished, he turned Clint around and proceeded to soap down his front. 

Loki never had a chance to finish because Clint pushed him against the corner of the tub and kissed him. Their limbs wrapped together in eagerness for one another. Water sloshed over the sides of the pool as they excitedly moved their bodies together. 

When Clint had Loki’s legs wrapped around his waist he didn’t hesitate to begin to push inside of him. Hearing Loki whimper his name nearly sent him over the edge. It didn’t take long for them to find their release.

After a thorough washing filled with touches, kisses and tender smiles, Loki and Clint made their way to the bed where they began again. Loki pulled Clint under him and whispered in his ear. 

“Say my name. Please.”

The heat of the body on top of him and Loki’s plea only added to Clint’s desire. “Loki, Loki, Loki,” he breathed over and over like a mantra. 

Hearing Clint say is name in heated desire sent Loki’s blood thrumming throughout his body. He pushed his lover’s legs apart with his own and Loki felt both the owner and the owned as he moved inside of Clint. 

When it was over, Loki dropped to his back next to a sweat-covered Clint. He looked up at the ceiling barely able to catch his breath. 

“I swear, Clint, you test the stamina of a god.”

Clint put his hands behind his head pleased with the compliment. “You should know that Midgardians are known for their robust appetites.”

“I thought all mortals weak until I met you,” Loki grinned. 

“Sure am glad this mortal body was easy to fix. I wouldn’t have wanted to wait.” A low growl was heard and Clint’s hand went immediately to his stomach. 

“I suppose we should alleviate another of your cravings,” Loki sweetly offered. 

Clint sat up when Loki jumped off the bed and grabbed a robe on the way out of the room. A few minutes later he reappeared with a large tray filled with fruit and cheese. He set the food on the bed next to Clint then poured ale into two goblets. After handing one to Clint, Loki climbed onto the bed next to him and took a bite of cheese. 

“Eat,” Loki ordered. “You must regain your strength.”

“Sure,” Clint chuckled while reaching for the tray. “I can’t imagine why I’d need to.”

Loki smirked as he popped a piece of fruit in his mouth. 

Clint caught the sharp gleam in Loki’s eye and he stilled for a moment. “What?”

“Lay back.”

Loki took a ripe berry from the tray and placed it between his teeth then straddled Clint. He lowered to Clint’s chest and hovered over a nipple. Loki bit into the fruit and dark juice dripped onto the nipple eliciting a slight hiss from his lover. He leaned in and sucked on Clint’s nipple letting the cold juice work its way around it. Hearing the moans only urged him on.

Satisfied, Loki straightened and he watched as a heated Clint reached for him. He thought he’d be pulled, but instead Loki was pushed to his back. Clint took a much larger and longer piece of fruit from the tray. 

“What do you intend to do with that?” Loki asked raising an eyebrow. 

Clint only grinned wickedly and then lowered his head. 

Loki groaned loudly as he moved his legs farther apart. 

~*~

Sated, Clint and Loki were laying on the bed side by side. The food tray had long ago dropped to the floor with a few remnants of cheese and fruit scattered about. 

“You Midgardians are certainly a creative lot with your food,” Loki said with a humorous sigh. 

“It can’t be said we don’t make the most of what’s on hand.”

Laughing, Loki rolled to his side. “I will have to raid Maven’s kitchen more often. When she asks, I’ll just blame it on Volstagg.”

Clint snickered at the thought then stopped as the smile slowly left him. He sat up and looked down at Loki. 

“No one can know.”

“What are you talking about?” Loki straightened until he was sitting as well. 

“This…us. It can’t go any farther than you and me.”

“You think I care what others think? I do what I will.”

“You don’t understand, Loki.”

Loki kissed him and then put his hand on Clint’s neck. “Be assured that you will always be under my protection.”

Clint removed Loki’s hand and held it in his own. “You were raised to be king someday.”

“Yes, but Thor is expected to sit on the throne. He is the eldest.”

“But it’s not always the oldest, right?”

“What does this have to do with us?”

“There may come a time when your father or Thor can’t or won’t be a king. That will leave you.”

“The likelihood is small,” Loki told him. “Even if that were the case, it has nothing to do with us and I will do as I please. No one will dictate to me who I love.”

“That’s why no one can know, Loki. Don’t you understand? If you do become king I’ll be your weakness.”

“No, I will not listen to this!” Loki jerked out of bed and reached for his robe. He angrily tied the sash and turned to Clint. “I have spent my life serving Asgard and still doing as I will. That will not change…my father’s will be damned!”

“You can’t,” Clint told him simply and painfully. “You think I don’t know what happens at court? It’s no different on my world. Getting close to power is having power.”

Loki sighed heavily. “Currying favor at court has been a pastime for thousands of years, Clint. It’s not likely to change.”

“Exactly.” Clint got off the bed and unmindful of his nudity he went to Loki. “If they know about us…about me, I’ll be used against you in the worst possible way. What if an enemy of Asgard got a hold of me? You’d stop being a king and you know it. Not only that, I’m a slave no matter how we feel about it. You can’t risk even your own life for me even if you’re not a king.”

Loki turned away. “I will not give you up.” He swung around and pulled Clint into him. “If I have to agree to keep this a secret, I will have you when I can. Will you come to me in the night? Can I have that much?”

Clint returned the hold and buried his face in the silk robe. “Every night, I promise.”

“Yes,” Loki whispered in hope. 

When Clint stepped back he looked into Loki’s eyes. “There’ll be times outside of this room that we can’t even look at each other. Do you understand?”

He didn’t like it, but Loki acquiesced. “No one can suspect.”

The sun would soon rise and Clint hated to leave. He reached for his clothes. “I have to meet Hogun on the grounds. It’ll be late, but I’ll be back tonight.”

Before Clint got to the hidden door, Loki stopped him. 

“Wait.” Loki went to his desk and opened the drawer. He returned with a long chain that hung a small medallion. “This carries my crest?”

Clint took it and gazed at the intricate gold piece. It appeared to be the body of a lion with the wings and head of a hawk. 

“This is beautiful.”

“It’s called a griffin. During my studies as a child, I learned that in Midgard mythology ferocious creatures such at this were exceptionally loyal and brave. They mated for life and I grew to admire them. My mother designed it so that the wearer would always know the power of my heart as a result. Will you wear it?”

To say that Clint was overwhelmed by the request was an understatement. He’d never understand how he could be worthy by such a thing, but he wanted it too much to decline. “Fuck, yeah. I mean…yes. Thank you.”

Loki wore a sad smile even though to see Clint putting it around his neck meant more than he could express. This was not the life with Clint he had hoped for. After a deep kiss, Clint left him and Loki sat on the unmade bed and ran his hand over the silken sheets. They were still warm. 


	7. Chapter 7

Spring turned into summer and despite a weeklong celebration of the seasonal change, Clint and Loki managed to find many nights together using the hidden passages built throughout the palace. Some nights Clint rushed into Loki’s chambers stripping his clothes off and they hurried to the bed together.

Loki enjoyed just lying next to Clint watching him sleep. He’d run his fingers along the small medallion that Clint refused to remove. Knowing that fact made his heart warm and it made the days pass easier.

It was no different for Clint. On a few nights he would sit awake with Loki’s head in his lap. Clint would brush aside strands of Loki’s black hair in order to gaze at the peaceful face. He’d shake his head at being such an idiotic romantic. This sort of thing went on in trashy romance novels, but he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

One particular morning, Loki woke up feeling depressed. Clint had left him long before sunrise and the loneliness of it had brought such melancholy he nearly stayed in bed altogether. At hearing the door open, Loki sat up and watched Magnus carry in his tray.

“Set it in the library,” Loki ordered. He rubbed his eyes then looked to the empty half of the bed. He barely heard Magnus’ voice.

“My Lord.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“The king has requested your presence for this afternoon’s council meeting.”

Loki forced himself out of bed and went to through the bathing room to the large closet. He swung open the doors and his eye immediately went to the mannequin where his green ensemble rested. Loki tilted his head at it and moved closer. He ran his hand over the collar and his eyes gazed downward.

He had lost count of the times he had remembered Clint leaning down to adjust the buckle on Winter Nights. Loki couldn’t fathom why that moment had stayed with him after so much time. Would it remain as such for years to come? Centuries?

Tightening his mouth, Loki pulled the coat off the mannequin and reached for a set of clothes. He went to the bedroom and tossed them on the bed.

“Magnus, tell my father I will be late for the council meeting and have my horse readied.” Loki began undressing and threw the robe across a nearby chair.

“My Lord?”

“Now!”

Loki had other plans.

~*~

It was late in the afternoon by the time Loki returned to the palace. A simple piece of fruit was in his hand and he nervously spun it around then tossing it back and forth careful not to drop it.

He arrived in his rooms and looked about a bit. Loki went to his closet in the bathing room and glanced around. _No_ , he thought. _Too many servants frequent this room_. He turned around and did a walkthrough until he found the closet he and Clint used after the incident with the bilgesnipe. This was not a commonly used space since it was mostly storage. _Perfect_.

Loki opened it and as he walked in he caught sight of the mannequin in the corner. He idly wondered what it was doing in such a place, but it was quickly forgotten as he surveyed the shelves with boxes. A small one with rune lettering caught his eye and Loki reached for it.

He set the fruit inside and then used a small spell his mother had taught him to keep the fruit fresh for an extended length of time. Loki hid the box behind another confident that it would be safe.

~*~

Clint continued training with Hogun and the Asgardian warriors as usual. He had been paired off with Volstagg who bested him more times than he cared to admit. For such a large warrior, he was surprising agile. Clint just couldn’t get himself to like Fandral no matter what. It wasn't so much his teasing nature as it was how severe his barbs could be. That was when he realized there was no love lost between Loki and Fandral.

Lady Sif on the other hand he liked regardless of her seriousness and prickly nature. She had his respect because she worked harder than most of the Asgard soldiers to be twice the warrior. His sparring sessions with her were often brutal and Clint admitted that both of them were too stubborn to give an inch. More often than not the sessions ended in a stalemate that both had to give in only when exhaustion overcame them. Clint also liked her because respected him just as much.

During the vigorous training exercise with Hogun and Volstagg, Clint was working with a spear and learning to use it as a solitary weapon. Hogan was showing him a move when a contingent of guards approached them.

“What is it?” Hogun asked.

The largest of the guards at the front looked at Clint. “By order of King Oden,” he loudly proclaimed.

The guard motioned and Clint knew he was expected to get between them to be escorted away. He handed the spear off to Hogun and moved to the small squad. They headed back to the palace and it didn’t take long for Clint to come to the realization they were headed to the servants’ quarters.

When they approached the door, the group was met by Odin, Thor, Loki and others including Magnus. Clint’s eyes briefly met Loki’s and he knew this was not going to go well even though he was completely clueless as to what it was about.

The door was pushed open and Clint along with the guards moved behind Odin, Thor and Loki to his cot and small chest where he stored his meager belongings.

Odin motioned to two guards who went to Clint’s things and tore into them. His cot was overturned and the bedding pulled from it. The chest was emptied out and when it was pushed over, a small cloth sack was tacked to the underside.

Clint’s eyes grew wide at seeing it. He had no idea what to think or expect as the item was handed to Odin. He watched the king pull open the drawstring and then reach inside. A gleaming globe was taken out and it was held out for him to see.

“Do you know what this is?” Odin demanded of Clint.

“No, sir.” Clint had no idea what was happening.

“This technology helps create magnetic barriers for the defense of Asgard!”

“Sir…” Clint began. “Your highness, I’ve never seen that before. I swear it!”

“How do you explain its presence here?” Odin harshly questioned.

“I-I can’t!” Clint stuttered. He knew what this meant. He would be branded a traitor and summarily executed. Then he saw Magnus. The eyes blazed in sick pleasure at what was happening. Clint turned to Odin. “Your highness, I had nothing to do with this, but I know who did.”

He looked straight at Magnus. “Prince Loki’s steward has a history of lying and stealing. I can prove it.”

Everyone turned to Magnus who had a flash of panic then he schooled his face.

“Sire, this is nothing but a slave. He has no Asgardian honor. Lies and accusations are all he knows.”

“Father-,” Loki began.

“Quiet, my son,” Odin ordered. He looked to Clint. “You say you can prove he did this thing. Show me.”

Clint went to the overturned chest and sorted through the things on the floor. He kneeled and found the book he had borrowed from Loki. He rose and turned to the group and flipped through the pages until he found the folded parchment.

He held it out and Loki took it.

Before it could be unfolded Magnus moved to stand between Clint and Odin. “Sire, this dog has managed to insinuate himself in the heart of your son! Do not let good Prince Loki be swayed by his lies and machinations!”

“What do you mean by this?” Odin roughly asked.

“Prince Loki with his gentle heart trusted this slave and gave him his crest. The slave wants to destroy the house of Odin with his Midgardian ways.”

Clint swung his eyes at Loki who was just as shocked as he was.

“Magnus, how do you know this?” He still hadn’t unfolded the parchment and his heart was pounding in his chest.

“It is my duty to protect you, my Lord.” Magnus lowered his eyes. “Even from yourself.”

No one spoke and rather than rage against Magnus, Loki opened the parchment and when he saw the sketches his mouth opened in awe. A variety of drawings of himself in the armored ensemble in various designs were sketched across it. In the middle was the larger and current version of the outfit.

Then it all came together in Loki’s mind. Clint knew how the ensemble was to be correctly worn in the first place. He had already proven his expertise with stitching and design in his early days in the palace. The mannequin in the storage closet was suddenly remembered as well. He looked at Clint in amazement.

“You,” he said with a slight smile. Knowing what Clint had done for him warmed his heart and deepened his love for the Midgardian. Loki wanted nothing more than to kiss him at this very moment. “You.”

Loki turned to his father. “Barton made the clothing, Father. Magnus stole it and claimed it as his own making when he gifted it to me on last Winter Nights.”

Odin took the parchment. His one eye studied it and then went to Magnus. “Explain this.”

“Sire, I admit that I made a egregious mistake on my part. I submit myself to you and Prince Loki for punishment, but this in no way makes me a traitor. That dog still has yet to explain how he came into possession of this technology.” Magnus gave Clint a hard look as if to say ‘Your turn’.

“He’s right, Father,” Loki said. He folded his arms and gave Clint a hard look. “This technology is kept in the most secure parts of the palace. How is it possible that a slave was able to breach such security?” He turned to his father. “Father, Clint Barton would not have been able to access any of what was taken from the palace.”

“He has befriended many of the guards and warriors in the palace, Sire,” Magnus insisted. “Someone like him would use his guile much as he did with Prince Loki.”

“I will kill you!” Loki swore loudly at him.

“Enough!” Odin roared. “This will not be a simple matter to solve.

“Sire,” Magnus said as he moved in front of Odin. “I ask for the right to defend my honor according to Asgardian law. With so much doubt being placed on all that I have done here throughout my life I plead to clear my good name.”

Clint looked over his shoulder at Thor who stood close by. “What’s he talking about?” he whispered.

“Single combat to the death,” Thor murmured. “Honor is restored to the victor. The loser dies in shame.”

“Out of the question,” Loki stated. “Barton’s training is incomplete.”

As far as Clint was concerned that didn’t matter. If there was no fight he would likely be found guilty of taking the stuff. He was a slave after all and his status guaranteed he would face a much harsher sentence than anyone else. The more privileged usually got their way. Some things never change even if it is on a different planet.

He could turn down the fight, but that certainly wouldn’t improve his situation any. If nothing else, he’d look like a guilty coward. There was no doubt in his mind what that would get him.

Clint only had one choice. “I accept.”


	8. Chapter 8

Magnus had demanded the fight be at the arena as soon as possible. Clint saw the reasoning behind it. Killing him meant the matter was settled and Magnus would go on with his life as before with no questions asked. The longer time passed, the more the situation would fester and grow. It would wind up working against Magnus’ benefit.

Once at the arena, Clint was led to a tunnel leading out to arena that sat just off the balcony of the royal family. He was appreciative that Hogun had brought his weapons. Magnus chose the weapons that Clint was the least proficient in; shield and sword. While he had improved greatly, he was still at a disadvantage in many of his sparring sessions against more seasoned warriors.

He was readying himself when Loki came to him.

“Clint, you must allow me to fight in your stead. You don’t have the strength or experience against Magnus. He is battlefield tested.”

“Can’t do that.” Clint strapped the belt around his waist.

“Is this about your pride? You’d walk into suicide-!” Loki hotly argued.

“Stop it!” Clint nearly yelled. “I have to do this.”

Loki was ready to argue even more when Thor pulled him back. He let his brother move him near the back wall.

“Thor, talk to him. Make him see reason,” Loki implored.

Thor put his hand on Loki’s cheek and gazed into his eyes. “This is about his dignity and honor, Loki. He must be allowed to fight for himself.”

“I can’t lose him,” Loki answered with a pained whisper. To say it louder would come out as a cry.

“I know, brother.”

Loki nodded understanding that he had to let Clint go. He let Thor comfort him for a moment and pulled away. Hogun was giving Clint final words of advice before walking away.

Hogun stopped in front of Loki. “Barton is a cunning and skilled warrior, Prince Loki. Have faith he will prevail.”

“Thank you, Hogun.” Loki went to Clint and with his most prince-like voice, he said, “I command you to win.”

Clint offered a weak grin. “I’ll do my best.” He picked up his shield and put his arm inside. “Do me a favor. If I lose…”

“I will not hear this.” The last thing Loki wanted to speak of at this moment was of Clint’s death.

“You’re going to anyway. If I die bury me here or whatever is done in Asgardian tradition.” Clint could barely hold back the tears and tried to blink them away. “This is the first home I’ve ever had and it’s where I want die.”

Loki yanked Clint close. “Do not die this day,” he begged.

Clint was released and he headed away. He couldn’t bear to look in Loki’s eyes. The pain of what his death would cause Loki was too much.

When Clint got to the arena, Magnus was already waiting with a large sword and he held a shield with a fierce dragon on the front of it. They both turned to face Odin who stood above them on his balcony with Thor and Loki on each side of him.

“My Lady Queen is oft to remind me that we all have value even the lowest among us. Her favored quotes come from an unusual Midgardian. He says of honor ‘ _Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life_.’”

Clint crossed his free arm across his chest in salute and then turned to face his opponent. He took out his sword and held it up ready to kill if he had to. Magnus had made his life hell in more ways than he wanted to remember. All of it threatened to come tumbling out of him in explosive rage.

He swallowed the urge down as he remembered what Hogun had taught him. _Patience_ , Hogun had said. _They will come to you if they yearn for your death_.

Nothing was more true when Magnus made the first swing and then another. Clint blocked it with his sword and he thought his arm was going to rip from its shoulder. He’d never taken a full blow from an Asgardian bent on his destruction.

Clint held up his shield and began to use his speed and agility to avoid the strikes. He needed to find an opening and Magnus was a far more adept fighter than he had given him credit for. Not only that, Magnus was Asgardian and his size and power worked against Clint. If he didn’t going on the offensive, he’d tire out too quickly. Clint had to end this fight.

When Magnus made an aggressive series of strikes, Clint stumbled and his shield caught on the dirt. He saw Magnus’ boot slam down on the shield twisting his arm. He grimaced as he managed to block the sword aiming for his head. He didn’t see the dragon shield coming and it hit him across the forehead causing him to see stars.

Clint managed to twist away and rolled to his feet. The blood was running down his face and trailing near his eye. He tried to wipe away, but his vision was blurry.

“You are going to die, slave!”

“Keep telling yourself that,” Clint said breathing hard.

“You are a weak Midgardian…a dog! I am of Asgard and you will bleed under my feet!”

_Sometimes old tricks are new again_ , Clint thought with a grim smile. He moved backwards giving Magnus more room to maneuver against him and smeared the sweat and blood across his forehead making it appear bloodier. Fuck, was he glad he watched pro wrestling.

To the audience and Magnus, Clint would seem blinded at least in one eye. He saw his chance when Magnus charged him and just before the steward could bring his sword down, Clint stepped aside and put two deep slices into his leg.

Magnus stumbled and as he steadied himself the blood began to pour from the wound. It incapacitated him enough that he was limping around the arena.

The only thing Clint forgot was the story about wounded animals and he was looking at one right now. He started to approach Magnus when his sword was painfully ripped from his hand and embedded deep into the stone wall leaving him only a shield. Then that was even taken from him and Clint stood in the middle of the arena with empty hands.

He gazed at Magnus whose hand was upward and Clint recognized what had been done. Magnus saw that his life was about to end and had used magic to disarm him.

Clint glanced up at Loki. That was when Odin and the entire arena knew. Magnus, the steward of Prince Loki of Asgard, had used Loki’s magic. When Magnus came after Clint again, that was when it occurred to him that the Asgardian wasn’t as experienced as Loki. He could maneuver objects, but not people. That required a different and more advanced kind of magic.

That was when Clint began using the hand-to-hand he had become so adept at under Hogun’s tutelage. He got the sword from Magnus by relying on his speed. Then he flipped Magnus to the ground and yanking on the shield until it was across the Asgardian’s body.

It wouldn’t hold. The Asgardian was too strong and the sword was just a few feet too far away. Clint rolled off of him and in one swift motion, got the sword and as Magnus came at him, he plunged into his gut.

The sickening sound and blood drenching the clothing was enough to sicken Clint, but he wasn’t about to give mercy to the one who had caused so much pain for too many people.

The body dropped to the dirt with an ugly thud and Clint looked up at King Oden.

“He used magic, sir.” Clint wiped the blood off his face with the back of his hand. “That’s how he got your technology out of the palace.”

Odin nodded. “Your honor was always intact to begin with, Clint Barton.”

Clint met Loki halfway across the field. He leaned into him and relished the arms around his body. “I know we’re supposed to keep it a secret, but I’m fucking tired.”

Relieved, Loki pulled him closer. “I love you.”

It was said so low that Clint was sure he was the only one who heard. “Me, too,” he replied just as low.

~*~

Life easily moved back to normal only now it was a much improved one without the evil steward’s ominous presence. Loki promoted Lena to steward despite it breaking traditional Asgardian roles of men holding the position. She took on the responsibility with passion and for the first time his household seemed brighter with a more relaxed staff. He was equally pleased to see flowers adorning nearly every room.

Clint continued his nightly visits and even on occasion was able to stay to see the sunrise with Loki. It was never enough for Loki who was quickly growing weary of hiding their relationship behind closed doors. It needed rectified and Loki was going to take that first step.

The weekly family dinner was more obligatory than out of familial closeness. At least it was for Loki. Frigga insisted on these meals together and no one was about to argue with her. The long table seated the four at a distance, but they were still close enough for conversational purposes.

No one was speaking. It was the quietest dinner in some time. On these evenings the usual news regarding court, domestic matters and other issues were traded off between the four. Loki toyed with his food for a time and finally he set his knife aside and looked from his mother to Thor and then to Odin.

“I have a request to make.”

“What is it?” Odin stabbed at the thick meat on his plate before taking a bite.

“Clint Barton risked his life in service to Asgard, Father. He should be freed and given citizenship as a reward.”

Without even looking up from his plate, Odin stated, “Clint Barton served his honor. Just because it aligned with Asgard’s interests does not make him worthy of freedom.”

“Worthy” Loki could scarcely believe what he was hearing. “We had one of the worst criminals of our time working under our very noses claiming to be worthy of being a freeman.”

Odin stopped eating and succinctly asked Loki, “What is your point?”

“If anyone is worthy, Father, it’s Clint Barton. He has given of himself freely…”

“He was not free to serve Asgard. By law…!”

“The law is wrong!” Loki yelled. “If we are to determine worth in such a way then Asgard should burn to the ground!”

“Loki!” Frigga scolded.

“Enough!” Odin yelled as he got to his feet. “To be worthy is to be willing without thought of self-preservation to give one’s life not just for the trinkets of Asgard, but to serve the people with your life, your heart and your love. Only when it becomes who you are does it make you worthy!”

Odin stormed away without another word and for a moment Loki couldn’t move. He stood knocking his chair backwards and walked away. In Loki’s mind Clint was already worthy regardless of what his father said. He couldn’t accept it and if it was the last thing he did, he would give Clint everything he deserved.

~*~

The conversation weighed so heavily on Loki that he broke down and told Clint what had been said as they readied for bed.

As Clint pulled down the covers, he said, “You shouldn’t have done that.”

“Why not?” Loki removed his robe and sat on the corner of the bed. “No one else deserves freedom more than you.”

“I won’t argue there. Slavery was a done deal on my world a long time ago and I don’t think making your father sit through Roots is going to change his mind.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Never mind,” Clint answered. “It’s a Midgard thing.”

“It’s the first time I ever stood up to Father and I still failed.”

“Loki,” Clint said. “Don’t push this. I don’t want to be the cause of problems with your family.”

“They are not my family if they can be so accepting of this,” Loki bit out.

“Don’t say that,” Clint said reaching for him. “I never really had a family. You have no idea how lucky you are.”

“I’m sorry.” Loki squeezed his hand and sighed. “Perhaps in time father will change his mind.”

“Has he ever changed his mind about anything?”

Loki couldn’t hide the smile. “Not in a thousand years.”

Clint lay back against the pillow. “Well, at least we know what my chances are.”

Intent on forgetting everything that’s happened, Loki crawled to Clint and gave him a heated kiss. He had just started to work his way down the muscled chest when a knock at the door interrupted them.

“Someone’s chances of seeing his next meal just plunged,” Clint ground out.

Loki shook his head and he moved off the bed while Clint hid in the bathing room. He opened the door to a large Asgardian warrior.

“This had better be worth interruption,” Loki warned.

“Apologies, my Lord. King Odin is convening a war council.”

“What is it?”

“Chitauri, my Lord. They came by way of the Boiling Plains and have been spotted by Asgard Winter Patrols in the mountains.”

“Leviathans?”

“Five at last count, my Lord.”

“Ready my Chief Military Advisor and inform my father I will be there in due haste.” Loki closed the door and went to find Clint where he relayed what he knew.

“What are Chitauri?”

“Vicious creatures,” Loki told him. “They are more animal than intelligent.”

Clint grabbed his clothes while Loki applied his armor.

“You should remain at the palace,” Loki told him. “This will be a battle unlike you’ve ever seen.”

“Right.” Clint adjusted his boot and then gave Loki another look. “That means ‘no’. I’ll find Hogun and we’ll help get ready. This is my home, too. We’re sharing this risk.”

“Agreed.”

Clint went to the bathing room where he found his tunic and just as he was about to put it on, he stopped when he saw his reflection in the mirror. It was the first time he realized that his boyish face was nearly gone. He’d been in Asgard for well over a year now. He was 23 or was it 24? He could hardly remember his life before coming to Asgard.

He shook his head and hurried away. There wasn’t time to think about that now.


	9. Chapter 9

It took little time to find Hogun and prepare for the oncoming battle. The sun still hadn’t fully risen and while they appeared to be in an almost panic, it in fact was a hurried stationing for war that the Asgard military had become adept.

Clint stood at the frontline as the sun finally sent rays of brightness through the enormous turrets of the palace behind them. The fighting ahead of them had already begun when the Leviathans appeared in the distance.

Thor was already flying through the air trying to ground the giant creatures and as the fliers approached, the firing began over their heads and the flying longboats zoomed over to engage the creatures before they got within range of the palace.

Clint’s eyes went down the line and just ahead stood King Odin at the front looking ever so imposing with his staff gripped in his hand. Next to him was Loki with just as much fire and determination.

A leviathan swam through the air over their heads and then suddenly plunging in the middle of the formations was Chitauri by the hundreds. Their blasters and blades swung through the Asgard army with frightening accuracy.

Clint found himself between two and he took them out with little effort. He glanced over his shoulder as Hogun dispatched three with ease.

As the numbers of Chitauri grew, Clint completely zoned out doing nothing but fighting focused only on taking out the enemy with deadly precision. Instinct had completely taken over.

Once he was out of arrows, he grabbed ahold of a blast weapon and took out as much Chitauri as he could until it’s energy ran out. He snatch another weapon as he kept up the heavy pace.

Clint wasn't far from Odin who was fighting just as hard as his troops. He faltered when he saw a Chitauri spear plunged into the horse’s chest unseating the king. Just as he was about to run to his assistance, a large Chitauri tackled him to the ground and Clint yanked out his dagger and plunged into the thing’s side. It’s inhuman scream hurt his ears and before it could collapse on him, he kicked it away and crawled over the dead bodies to assist Odin.

He couldn’t find Loki in the heat of the battle and when Clint saw an injured warrior about to be killed he flung his dagger in the Chitauri’s face. Clint pulled him behind the dead horse and handed him a weapon.

“Here!”

While the warrior fired from his position, Clint saw Odin still fighting despite being injured and he grabbed a sword.

The battle lasted another two hours before the Chitauri finally gave up. The losses made their chances of breaching the palace an impossible task.

Clint collapsed to his knees in exhaustion. He had never been in a battle before and seeing the dead and injured around him was overwhelming. He lowered his head wishing he could wipe the horror away from memory.

When he felt a hand on his shoulder he was surprised to find that it belonged to Odin. Thor stood next to him.

“You think I did not see you bravery and ferocity?” Odin raised his chin. “You could have sacrificed a brother in arms in order to save me, Clint Barton. You saw his value had just as much life as my own and this is the mark of a worthy man. You have your freedom, Clint Barton.”

“Thank you, sir.”

As the king walked away, Thor helped Clint to his feet.

“Where is Loki?”

“He’s seeing to a leviathan. My brother will be pleased.”

“Is it always like this?” Clint asked.

“What?”

“All of this,” Clint motioned around him.

Thor grinned and patted Clint on the shoulder. “We have won this day, Barton. Celebration is called for!”

~*~

It was much later when Clint found Loki on the battlefield. He was feeling depressed and wanting the warmth of Loki’s arms around him.

Seeing him surveying the large creature in the field and the numerous Chitauri bodies lying around, Clint could see he certainly wasn’t pleased. He wondered if Loki was feeling as he was about the carnage.

Loki went to Clint. “Do you see how close they came?”

Clint’s eyes went to the palace. Several defensive blasters were heavily damaged. “Why did they attack?”

“I don’t know. There must be something here they were after. It will take a very long time to rebuild our military and defenses.”

“There’s more bothering you about all this,” Clint observed.

“Their approach should have been seen long before this,” Loki bit out. “We were caught unaware.”

He stormed off and Clint nearly followed, but thought better of it. That was a matter he’d have to take up with Thor and Odin.

~*~

Loki was angry. No, he was furious. It took weeks to clean up from the aftermath of the battle. With every dead Chitauri and the leviathans being hauled and dumped off the Bifrost, he was reminded how close Asgard came to falling at their hands. There was no indication of what they were after or who was leading them.

He brought his questions to Odin and got little in response. It angered Loki to no end that his father cared more for defense rather than offense. Taking the fight to the enemy was always his preference. In fact, striking them while they were unaware until nothing was left but scorched debris was far preferable.

It was all a waste and Loki despised nothing more. He would take matters into his own hands from this point onward.

That night as Clint sat in bed next to him reading, Loki’s eyes moved over his body. He’d been deep in thought for the better part of a day.

Clint had noticed Loki’s distraction. “Something bothering you?”

“I was just thinking,” Loki said with a sigh. “Tomorrow is a day of rest. Would you like to see the Red Orchard?”

“Remember what happened in the last orchard I wandered into?”

Loki softly smiled. “This one isn’t the same. In fact, so few know of it that we can go without being seen.”

Clint set his book aside and turned to face Loki. “How private are we talking about?”

Loki’s laugh was low and dirty. “I’ll show you.”

~*~

It was midday when Clint arrived on horseback at the Red Orchard. Loki had given precise directions to get him here and he had to admit the place was stunning. He had never seen anything like it in his life.

The grass was brilliant green, thick and soft. The gentle wind pushed it over so that it seemed like a feather bed he had once seen. What Loki had called spice trees were scattered about the orchard. Their trunks were almost pitch black with a thick bark and big enough around that he couldn’t put his arms around them.

The most stunning aspect of the trees were their red leaves, hence the name. The colors ranged from deep red to vibrant pink to snow white. The seasons would soon be changing once again and as the wind gently blew across the orchard the white leaves were slowly being carried away giving it a light snowflake effect across the clear blue skies.

Clint finally got enough of the breathtaking view and he brought his horse to the small stream where he hobbled the animal so that it cold leisurely eat and drink without running off.

Lena had given him a leather pouch with a carafe of sweet wine and a bit of food to tide them over for the afternoon. Clint pulled out a blanket and carried the items to a tree and readied them for Loki and himself.

He had just finished when he heard the gallop of a horse. As Loki neared on horseback, Clint grinned. Seeing him wearing the rich emerald long coat with his black hair on the white stallion was stunning. He couldn’t tear his eyes away as Loki approached him.

After the animal was hobbled near Clint’s darker one, they sat under the tree on the blanket drinking wine, eating their lunch and enjoying the peaceful afternoon. It wasn’t long before the carafe was empty and clothes were tossed aside.

When both were sated, Loki leaned in for a kiss. “Still hungry?”

“Always,” Clint grinned.

He watched Loki slip on his pants then go to his horse. Clint put his own on and waited. He looked up as his lover returned with a bright golden apple and a knife.

“Just one?”

“I believe one is all we will need,” Loki teased. He sat and leaned against the tree. “Lay in my lap. I would like to feed you.”

“Really?” Clint blushed a little as he scooted around and propped his head in Loki’s lap. “Like this?”

“Perfect.” Loki cut a slice and let it slip into Clint’s mouth. “How is it?”

“Sweet with cinnamon,” Clint answered as he chewed. He could feel the warmth in his chest.

“Tell me. What is the one think you wish to do that you’ve never done?”

“A bucket list kind of thing?”

Loki cut another slice. “Bucket list?”

“A Midgard expression.” Clint ate the slice offered and thought. “I’ve never been waterskiing. Always looked like fun.”

“What is that?”

“It’s a boat in the water with a motor. You get two boards, plant your feet on them and the boat pulls you around. You gotta stay on your feet the whole time.”

“Sounds difficult.” Loki put a piece of apple in Clint’s mouth. “What else?”

“I guess I’d like to travel more, see places like France and Italy.” Clint swallowed it and continued. “Scuba diving is another thing I’d like to try.”

Clint watched Loki remove another piece of the apple and opened his mouth for it. “You gonna eat any of that?”

“I’m not sure if I want any. Go on. I want to hear more.”

“I think I’d like to help people,” Clint said after a thought. He ate more of the apple being fed to him. “I’ve seen too many suffering because nobody gives a shit. I feel like I should because I’ve gone without so much in my life. No kid should ever know what hunger feels like because the cupboards are empty.”

Loki frowned a bit. “You’ve experienced such hunger?”

“More than I care to remember. My father usually spent the grocery money on booze.”

“You told me once you had no family, Clint. Where are they?”

“Dead.” Clint closed his eyes. “He was drunk and wrapped the car around a tree with my mom as a passenger. Killed them instantly.”

“I’m sorry.” Loki sliced off another piece and watched as Clint took a bite of it until it was gone.

“It’s okay,” Clint assured him. “I got over it. I will never drink like my old man. I’d rather die first.” He desperately needed a change of subject. “You should teach me how to navigate one of those longboat ships.”

“You want to learn to fly?” Loki asked surprised.

“I think I’d love it. I was an aerialist in the circus. Got flown around a lot and I think I’d rather park my butt in a plane or something rather than flying through the air like an idiot.”

Loki smiled. “I’d love to teach you. We will begin tomorrow.”

“Seriously?”

“If you eat these last two pieces,” Loki teased.

Clint gobbled them down and they both laughed. He pulled Loki down to his mouth and kissed him deeply.

“This place is amazing. How did you find it?”

“I used to come here as a child,” Loki told him. “Father would be furious because I kept leaving the palace. I was so determined to see the universe and in my quest I discovered this place.”

“We have to come back here again,” Clint told him. “Just the two of us.”

“We shall,” Loki promised.

“I never really said it and I should. I love you, Loki.”

Feeling more emotion than he thought he could towards another, Loki tried to smile. “I love you.”

~*~

Just as Loki promised, he showed Clint how to fly a longboat. They spent many days soaring above Asgard seeing the land over the coming days. When they got too close to the distant mountains, a fierce dragon the locals called Fafnir roared its discontent and Clint managed to elude the creature. They got back to the palace thanking they made their escape and laughing about the close call.

It was after an exhaustive day of play in a river away from the palace that Loki brought Clint back to his chambers. He slowly undressed him and they went to the bed. They made love until Clint finally fell asleep in Loki’s arms. It was still early in the evening and time was still running out.

Loki had made his decision days ago and kept putting it off for as long as possible. There would never be enough time to spend with Clint. He had thought he could accomplish his will having Clint by his side, but the battle with the Chitauri had changed everything.

Asgard was weak. It was weak with a king still using antiquated notions of tactics and strategy. It was weak with a king who had a prince that didn’t deviate from the exact same formulas which led to the sneak attack until the Chitauri was nearly on top of them. Even allowing Thanos, a known enemy of peace, within the gates of Asgard had been a mistake.

Loki had been furious at the lapse and blamed both Odin and Thor. His elder brother was as inept as their father because he was unwilling to see beyond Odin’s faults. Odin’s willingness to avoid war at all cost was proving costly.

So now he had to protect Asgard. No one else could do it as effectively as Loki. No one else would be willing to go to the lengths necessary which was why Loki would hurt the one person he valued above all. He was not willing to taint Clint’s innate goodness and pure heart. Loki certainly didn't want to see disappointment or pain his actions would bring. It would be a very long time before Clint would forgive him.

When Clint shifted position, Loki leaned down and whispered in his ear. “Are you awake?”

Keeping his eyes closed, Clint smiled. “Wanna lay here forever.”

Then Loki shut his eyes. “You can’t. You’re leaving tomorrow.”

Clint stilled, then abruptly sat up. “What?”

“Tomorrow morning I’m taking you to the Bifrost and sending you back to Midgard.”

He couldn’t have heard that right. Clint suddenly couldn’t control his breathing. “You’re not joking.”

“No.”

Clint put his hand over his mouth, took a deep breath and then spoke again. “I..Did I do something wrong?”

“No.”

The words wouldn’t leave Clint’s mouth and he slid out of bed to a standing position. “I thought we loved each other, I thought you wanted me.”

He hated how desperate he sounded. Clint screwed his eyes shut to hold back the tears. “If you don’t want me anymore, why do I have to leave Asgard? This is my home!”

“Clint,” Loki said taking a step closer. “Perhaps someday you will understand…”

“Fuck you!” Clint yelled. “Just fuck you!”

Clint searched for his pants and found them in the bathing room. He scrambled to get them on and upon seeing Loki he turned away.

“Please don’t send me away, Loki.” Clint’s head hung low in defeat. The pain was tight in his chest and he felt like he would stop breathing. “I couldn’t take it.”

Loki shut his eyes and clenched his fists. Why didn’t he do this earlier? Would it have hurt less? “Much will be changing here in Asgard. You cannot be here for it. Please trust me, Clint.”

“I want to. God, I want to.” Clint adjusted his pants and faced Loki. “Do you have any idea how much you changed my life, changed me for the better?”

“It was always there within you. You’re the one who brought so much to me.”

Seeing the tears fall on Clint’s face, Loki went to him and pulled him close until they were body to body. As the sobs overtook Clint, they moved to the floor together and Loki wouldn’t relinquish his hold for hours to come.


	10. Chapter 10

He had packed up what he was allowed to take to Earth. Saying goodbye to Maven, Lena and everyone else he had called friend only added to his sorrow. Clint accepted Maven’s fruit pastries and wiped the tear off her cheek. Lena, being as uplifting as ever, told him to smile when he looks to the stars. They’d be there for him. He left them at the large gate before walking the length of the Bifrost with Loki hoping it would last as long as possible. 

Also inside his small bag was a portion of gold coin, a dagger, and the first book Clint had ever read from Loki’s library. He also had a change of clothes until he could acquire Midgardian ones.

They took their time as they made their way across the Bifrost to where Clint would depart from. He tried to appreciate the beauty of the many star systems across the void of space, but Clint’s heart remained heavy. 

Loki kept his eyes on Clint and ignored Heimdall’s solemn stare. 

“Please don’t hate me,” Loki pleaded in a low voice. 

“I don’t.” Clint stepped closer. “I’m just really pissed at you.”

Loki nodded. “You will remain angry with me for a very long time.”

Clint shook his head. “I won’t.”

To prove it, Clint kissed Loki as deep as possible to make sure his taste would never be forgotten. 

Once the kiss was broken, Clint stepped back and as soon as he heard the sword lock into place, he was yanked away from Loki and sent across space and time.

~*~

The first thing Clint learned upon his return to Earth was that time moved differently on Asgard. While he had thought nearly a year and a half had passed on Asgard, almost five years had gone by on Earth. He was nearing 27 years old and looking in the mirror he appeared younger than his actual age. 

Clint managed to find another circus job where he excelled in archery and weapons much to the crowds’ amazement. The aerial work was over. He didn’t have the desire to fly through the air. His popularity was enough he could actually state his own terms when it came to negotiating a contract. 

The manager had offered to make him a headline attraction, but Clint turned him down flat. He preferred to remain middle billing until something better came along. 

That something would come along sooner than he thought. 

It was a late night when he got to his trailer and Clint was relieved to find his roommate already gone for the evening. He took a beer from the fridge and sat on the small chair at the table. 

He had been back nearly three months and the last time he thought about Loki and Asgard. It resulted in him drinking himself into a stupor. Two of the circus clowns found him passed out near a tent and got him to his trailer. 

Clint wouldn’t think about it tonight, but he’d dream. That was the one thing he had no control over as long as his heart remained in Asgard. 

The door knock pissed him off and Clint rubbed his eyes. Ignoring didn’t help when it happened a second time. 

“What is it?” he yelled. 

“Are you Mr. Barton?”

“Who wants to know?” Clint felt a headache coming on and drinking more would fix that.

“Could I come in or perhaps you could come out here so we could talk.”

The voice on the other side sounded too business-like to ignore. Clint took another drink of his beer and stood. He pushed open the door and stepped out. 

“Listen, it’s late and I’m tired. Buy a ticket and watch the show tomorrow night.”

He gave a matter-of-fact smile as if he was trying to assure Clint. “I already bought a ticket and I watched your show tonight, Mr. Barton. In fact, I’ve watched most of your shows for the past month.”

“Are you some kind of stalker?”

“No, of course not.” The man reached inside his suit and took out a wallet. He flipped open the badge. “I’m Agent Phil Coulson. I represent the Strategic Homeland Intervention, Enforcement and Logistics Division.”

“This isn’t some Amway thing, is it?”

“No, of course not. We’re called SHIELD for short.”

“Why are you here, Mr. Coulson?”

“Agent Coulson,” Phil corrected. 

“Right.”

“We are an agency looking for unique individuals with specialized skill sets such as yours.”

“For what?”

“We eliminate risk, help people and provide support. You came on our radar several years ago, but we lost track of you some time ago and only recently discovered your whereabouts.”

Clint briefly glanced away. “I was out of town.”

“Mr. Barton, would you like to help us out and come to work for SHIELD?”

Clint folded his hands under his arms and shifted his foot as he thought about it.


	11. Chapter 11

Through time and space, Clint watched gods fall to Earth in disgrace and then regain what had been taken from them. He remained in the background as gods overtook a small piece of ground in New Mexico and nearly ran to them when they walked the Earth in hopes of regaining all that he had lost. 

It was the first time he had told Coulson about his time ‘out of town’ and never said the word Loki. His handler asked the typical debrief questions about technology and so on. Clint couldn’t answer those so it was forgotten. 

Clint’s heart had nearly stopped when Loki appeared on the platform where the Tesseract was being experimented upon. Only his old lover didn’t look like himself. He didn’t even act like the Asgardian that had fed him slices of apple in the Red Orchard. 

The medallion he still wore had turned cold against his chest. The first time it happened, Clint had to remove it because it had gotten painful against his skin. 

After the dust had settled, Loki was upon him and placing a spear on his chest. Clint nearly cried Loki’s name and then it felt as if his insides were pulled out like a string inside a golf ball being let loose. Gone was the pain, the anger and the love. In its place was unquestioning obedience.

When it was all said and done, Phil Coulson was dead and Clint woke up every morning screaming trying to tear the blood from his hands. Natasha would hold him until the shivers passed. Hearing what Loki had told her during his short incarceration made his blood run cold. 

Seeing him before Thor took him away had fueled his rage and Clint had convinced himself how much he hated Loki. It had all been a lie. They both knew it and seeing the reserved containment in Loki’s eyes told Clint it would never end with them. 

Wars never ended and neither did the quest for power by the most evil among the planet. For every ship that appeared over the skies of Earth, another human with powers beyond imagination would add to the world’s complications. Heroes were called upon and Clint was eager to fill that role more than ever after playing such a convincing villain for Loki even for a short time. 

Thor had sought him out after the battle with the Dark Elves. The story came out and Clint kept silent as Thor talked of Loki’s bravery and sacrifice. Hearing Thor’s voice lower when he told of Loki’s death, Clint shot to his feet. He stood in the middle of his apartment at Stark Tower not speaking. He nearly told Thor that he didn’t know his brother very well, but changed his mind. Clint walked away leaving Thor sitting alone.

Five years later Clint was looking in the mirror again and nothing. More gods plunged to the Earth, attempted to remake the universe in their church of death and the Avengers were back to battle once again. Nothing every really changed he realized. There would be more wars, battles and threats of universal destruction. 

Another several years had passed when Clint had another look at himself in the mirror. Gray was creeping in Tony’s hair around the face and Natasha was growing anxious for things like motherhood and settling down. Bruce became more unwilling to allow the Hulk free and the desire to fight wasn’t what it once was for Steve. 

New Avengers slowly began to move about Stark Tower and as their youth seemed to overtake the entire tower with varied reactions. Tony took over the role as leader, Steve trained, Bruce was content to remain a doctor, Thor never changed, and Natasha had taken a desk position at the newly revamped SHIELD after it’s near destruction. Even the revived Phil Coulson saw the changes in the air and he sought an early retirement when he began yearning for the old days of SHIELD. 

Clint said little when he moved out of the tower. He knew he should have left five years ago when Tony began asking who was doing his work. Clint knew what it meant. 

He kept an apartment for only a few years and finally left the city when he began yearning for the old days as Coulson did. His first stop had been to Natasha’s in upstate New York. He sat in a car with a bottle of whiskey and for the first time since his return from Asgard, he told everything. 

Nothing was left out. He began with the first fruit pastry Maven had given him, his first kiss with Loki, the fight for honor and the battle with the Chitauri. She laughed when he talked about sewing Loki’s extravagant costume. He was glad she did. He even talked about their last moments together, the Red Orchard not far from his thoughts. 

Afterwards, she made him promise to keep visiting and he said he would, but as he left he knew he wouldn’t. Natasha was growing older, her children were as well. She had a husband who was in Fury’s old director’s job. There was no reason to return.

With nothing holding him back anymore, Clint began wandering. SHIELD had done the job in teaching him now to easily slip from one identity to another. He could live in a place for a few years and when the mood struck, he would pack and leave. 

Clint continued to carry a bow and arrow. It was the one weapon he didn’t have the heart to leave behind. He rarely was able to use it, but when he did it was usually in the privacy of a dirty motel room. Clint would sit on the floor with his back against the bed, raise the bow, pull back and aim as if he were on Hogun’s archery range not missing a target. He'd relax the weapon, set it aside and then take a long drink from the bottle next to him.

As Clint continued to wander the Earth, he heard rumors of a reclusive doctor in South America and the artist who lived with him. It took little effort to track them down and at seeing them, Clint was relieved that it was Bruce and Steve. Their metabolism didn’t allow for aging. When they saw Clint, they were stunned. By all rights Clint should look well into his eighties.

No one cared. For a brief moment half of the original Avengers were together again. 

Nothing ever lasted. Clint knew that from experience. Another 100 years passed and the world was not the one he returned to when he came back from Asgard. Thor hadn’t been seen in decades. Humanity was slowly destroying itself through it's selfishness and disregard for the world around them. Those that could, escaped it to space in hopes that a new start would mean a better world.

When Clint got to Stark Tower he saw that it had been abandoned in favor of a space station orbiting over the planet. He had heard that Jarvis had been decommissioned in favor of a new AI called Tony. Clint thought it was some sort of cosmic joke that Tony would find a way to live forever as well. 

He had never sought out Natasha or Coulson again. He knew they were dead, but going to their grave sites would just make it too real. He’d had enough realism in his life already. Clint was desperate to end this life one way or the other. 

Clint got into the building and found the elevators didn’t work. He cursed and headed for the stairs. It took so much effort to get to the commons at Stark Tower that Clint leaned against the wall catching his breath. As he looked around the room, he remembered the team meals, movie nights, the time that Tony and Bruce got into a popcorn fight with Steve attempting to navigate through the hilarious barrage that had been aimed at him. 

Finally, Clint moved and walked towards the balcony. He stepped outside until he got to the platform. The wind was strong today and he inhaled the air trying to remember everything about it. Then he stepped closer to the edge and peered down to the street below and for a moment, he felt disconnected from the mortals below. Closing his eyes briefly, Clint knew that if his plea wasn't heard, he would find his end at the foot of Stark Tower. That was his vow as he looked up to the clear sky above him.

Clint yelled as loud as he could. “Heimdall!”

The next thing Clint knew he was crossing space and time just as he did when Loki had sent him away. When he landed on the Bifrost, he spun around scarcely able to believe he was back. 

The last time he had called for Heimdall had been a few years after his return to Earth. In a drunken rage he had yelled the name, but nothing had happened. 

The best that Clint could figure was that Heimdall had been given permission to bring him to Asgard this time around. That realization prompted him to drop his bag and bolt towards the palace. 

As he ran, doors opened for him without hesitation. 

Once at the doors of the Great Hall, they slowly opened and Clint stepped inside. It was filled with a crowd and as he moved inside a path was made as the crowd parted. 

Clint halted when he saw Maven standing with Lena and Reif. He hugged them and turned around. 

Ahead was the throne and as he got closer he saw Thor on the right with a very pregnant Jane Foster close to him. Next to them was a blonde haired little girl holding Thor’s hand. 

He moved his gaze forward and stopped. Loki stood at the throne with Odin’s staff in his hand. The smile on his face grew as he met Clint on the landing. 

Clint opened his mouth, but the words wouldn’t come. He could only breathe. 

“Welcome home,” Loki said. 

“Am I home?”

“Always.”

Clint lunged into Loki’s arms and kissed him. When they parted, he widely smiled and seeing Thor’s approach with Jane, Clint hugged them and the crowd closed around them with cheers of celebration. 

~*~

Late into the night, Clint was finally back in Loki’s bed. He sighed content for the first time in over 200 years. 

“When did you know?” Loki asked. 

“About what?”

“The apple.”

“I knew then.”

“You’re not angry.”

Clint took hold of Loki’s hand and laid it on top of the medallion. “How could I be angry wanting forever.”

END


End file.
